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Oxblood
- Narrated by: Chloe Massey
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
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Oxblood
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Summary
Bloomsbury presents Oxblood by Tom Benn, read by Chloe Massey.
Wythenshawe, South Manchester. 1985.
The Dodds family once ruled Manchester’s underworld; now the men are dead, leaving three generations of women trapped in a house haunted by violence, harbouring an unregistered baby.
Matriarch Nedra presides over the household, which bustles with activity as she prepares the welcome feast for her grandson Kelly’s return from prison.
Her grieving daughter-in-law Carol is visited by both the welcome intimate ghost of her murdered lover, and by Mac, an ageing criminal enforcer, a man who may just offer her a real and possible future.
And then there is Jan—the teenage tearaway running as fast as she can from her mother, her grandmother and her own unnamed baby.
Over the course of a few days, the Dodds women must each confront the true legacy of the men who have defined their lives, and seize the opportunity to break the cycle for good.
A blistering portrait of a family on fire, Oxblood lays bare the horror of violence, the exile of grief and the extraordinary power of love.
Critic reviews
"If I read a better novel than Oxblood in 2022, it’ll be a blinding year for fiction. Tom Benn, please take a bow. Everybody else, please take note." (Joseph Knox)
"Reading Oxblood is a compelling and deeply unsettling experience; this is a novel that glitters with the dark energy and lifeblood of its characters." (Naomi Booth)
"An extraordinary book that delivers constantly at the level of the line. It's full of miraculous phrasing and detail, brilliant dialogue, and satisfying clicks as the structure locks into place.... A fully rewarding literary experience." (Andrew Cowan)
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What listeners say about Oxblood
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- dean stewart
- 27-05-22
Beautifully written tale of family and a crime
Though there is a central murder to the story it never takes over what is a beautifully observed tale with recognisable characters.
Awarded four rather than five stars as it is sometimes tricky to keep up with the time changes when it is spoken rather than read but the narration is perfect.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Oana B
- 25-06-22
Eye-opening and masterfully written
Authentic in the way it juxtaposes the lives and experiences of three women from different generations in a family where all males were criminals. Shocking in its disection of the family dynamics that create crime and poverty traps, denying the younger generation the chance at social mobility. Masterful in capturing the characters' rich inner universe of beliefs, feelings, desires and regrets. Excellent narration.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. Dyson
- 06-02-24
Superb narration
Powerful and poetic language and a compelling story. The narrator was exceptional, giving each character a distinctive voice even though each had an authentic Mancunian accent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ben
- 20-05-23
Not to be missed.
I can’t think of many audio books where the writing and the performance are so well balanced. This book is not to be missed. Chloe Massy is pitch perfect with every character, that’s no mean feet in this novel. Tom Benn’s writing is poetic, raw and breathtaking.
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