The Last Life

By: Claire Messud

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Narrated by a 15-year-old girl with a ruthless regard for truth, The Last Life is a beautifully told novel of lies and ghosts, love and honor. Set in colonial Algeria, and in the south of France and New England, it is the tale of the LaBasse family, whose quiet integrity is shattered by the shots from a grandfather's rifle. As their world suddenly begins to crumble, long-hidden shame emerges: a son abandoned by the family before he was even born, a mother whose identity is not what she has claimed, a father whose act of defiance brings Hotel Bellevue - the family business - to its knees. Messud skillfully and inexorably describes how the stories we tell ourselves, and the lies to which we cling, can turn on us in a moment. It is a work of stunning power from a writer to watch.

©1999 Claire Messud (P)2018 Recorded Books

Missing a French accented narrator

One of the broadest failures in the narrative is this book is narratef by someone clearly European English.
it is more than a little confusing because there's no separation of characters in the voice acting.
it kind of detracts from the beautiful sentences and storyline.
I did appreciate the historical values and research that went into this writing. she creates very strong, defined characters.
this is an excellent pastime read for someone that would like a greater understanding of the history of Algeria.