The Newlyweds

By: Nell Freudenberger

Narrated by: Mozhan Marnò

A powerful, funny, richly observed tour de force by one of America’s most acclaimed young writers: a story of love and marriage, secrets and betrayals, that takes us from the backyards of America to the back alleys and villages of Bangladesh.
In The Newlyweds, we follow the story of Amina Mazid, who at age twenty-four moves from Bangladesh to Rochester, New York, for love. A hundred years ago, Amina would have been called a mail-order bride. But this is an arranged marriage for the twenty-first century: Amina is wooed by—and woos—George Stillman online.
For Amina, George offers a chance for a new life and a different kind of happiness than she might find back home. For George, Amina is a woman who doesn’t play games. But each of them is hiding something: someone from the past they thought they could leave behind. It is only when they put an ocean between them—and Amina returns to Bangladesh—that she and George find out if their secrets will tear them apart, or if they can build a future together.
The Newlyweds is a surprising, suspenseful story about the exhilarations—and real-life complications—of getting, and staying, married. It stretches across continents, generations, and plains of emotion. What has always set Nell Freudenberger apart is the sly, gimlet eye she turns on collisions of all kinds—sexual, cultural, familial. With The Newlyweds, she has found her perfect subject for that vision, and characters to match. She reveals Amina’s heart and mind, capturing both her new American reality and the home she cannot forget, with seamless authenticity, empathy, and grace. At once revelatory and affecting, The Newlyweds is a stunning achievement.

Good story, great performance!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I really enjoyed listening to this book! The story was really good, and the performance was excellent!

What other book might you compare The Newlyweds to and why?

The Namesake, Kabul Beauty School

What does Mozhan Marno bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The accents and mannerisms of each character!

Surprisingly captivating!

I got this because it had good reviews in the press in general but wasn't in a hurry to listen to it. Once I started I was hooked. I liked the characters and the whole idea of the different cultures. I think the narrator did an excellent job with the various voices and accents.

Unexpected ending.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The book describes the differences between the two cultures very well.
Easy to understand why it works and doesn't work.

Cultural Kick in the Pants

I was often irritated by choices the characters made, by their apparent flaws and expectations. At the same time the story made me think how much our cultural and family background influences those thoughts and responses. Best of all, I liked how the characters, in the end, sacrificed and changed to create a different (better?) life for themselves.

Rich in character development

If you could sum up The Newlyweds in three words, what would they be?

This book was deeply engaging. The concept of finding your mate through correspondence on the internet was of great interest to me. I was interested to see how the characters developed and how the two cultures would mesh. It pointed out, in interesting ways, how the expectations of Americans differ with people in many parts of the world. Having Amina choose the path she did and watching her struggles made for an interesting listen. The narrator did a very good job of distinguishing the characters.