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Title: The Innocents

Author: Francesca Segal

Narrator: Antonia Beamish

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-09-17

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Adam and Rachel are getting married at last. Childhood sweethearts whose lives and families have been intertwined for years; theirs is set to be the wedding of the year. But then Rachel's cousin Ellie makes an unexpected return to the family fold. As the long-awaited wedding approaches, Adam is torn between duty and temptation, security and freedom, and must make a choice that will break either one heart, or many.

Critic Reviews:

"A subtle, witty and acutely observed study of a narrow but very recognisable world" (Observer)

"An impressive debut...the struggle to achieve true adulthood, the loss of innocence and the consequences of adapting to a culture that levies certain expectations on its members, are all cleverly worked into a poised text" (Sunday Times)

Members Reviews:

A new take on an old ( and beloved)tale

I really enjoyed this new twist on "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Warton. The characters are perfect, the new twist on the end makes for a good surprise. I enjoyed that it took place in a nice, rich Jewish neighborhood in London, where the cultural and religious traditions are still kept, where the parents still take an annual vacation trip to Israel. These traditions s which they maintain exactly the same, world wide and thoghout the centuries give them a sense of community, of belonging and how this feeling makes them feel responsible for all the other members of the tribe.

I would highlly recommend this delightful novel.

A Must Read for Lovers of the Classics (or Not!)

This is a delightful read! Ms. Segal has transposed a revered classic to present day Northwest London, substituting a tight-knit jewish community for the upper crust of New York society in Wharton's Age of Innocence. All the victorian aged themes survive with characters that anyone can relate to. I could not put this book down!

Even Better Than I Thought it Would Be

I had heard that the main story line was based on The Age of Innocence, but set in modern-day London. I was curious about how that premise played out. But after I got well into the book, I forgot about its source, and realized I was reading a very well-written novel with psychological underpinnings every bit as profound as those found in Wharton -- perhaps even moreso. Finished it days ago, and still thinking.

An Excellent Read

I really enjoyed this book, and could not put it down and was then disappointed when I finished it. Although now living abroad, I used to live in NW London and could identify with so much that was written, both in terms of places and attitudes, that this book became more than a story... it was personal.

I highly recommend it. Francesca's style of writing is beautiful and the words flow on the page.

I didn't LOVE it, but it was a quick read

This is a modern update of Edith Wharton's "Age of Innocence". Instead of white waspy families in America this book centers around British Jewish families. I didn't LOVE it, but it was a quick read, and we actually had some good discussions on it in book group.