Saint Monkey

A Novel

By: Jacinda Townsend

Narrated by: Allyson Johnson

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

A stunning debut novel of two girls raised in hardship, separated by fortune, and reunited through tragedy.

Fourteen-year-old Audrey Martin, with her Poindexter glasses and her head humming the 3/4 meter of gospel music, knows she'll never get out of Kentucky - but when her fingers touch the piano keys, the whole church trembles. Her best friend, Caroline, daydreams about Hollywood stardom, but both girls feel destined to languish in a slow-moving stopover town in Montgomery County.

That is, until chance intervenes and a booking agent offers Audrey a ticket to join the booming jazz scene in Harlem - an offer she can't resist, not even for Caroline. And in New York City the music never stops. Audrey flirts with love and takes the stage at the Apollo, with its fast-dancing crowds and blinding lights. But fortunes can turn fast in the city - young talent means tough competition, and for Audrey failure is always one step away. Meanwhile, Caroline sinks into the quiet anguish of a Black woman in a backwards country, where her ambitions and desires only slip further out of reach.

Jacinda Townsend's remarkable first novel is a coming-of-age story made at once gripping and poignant by the wild energy of the Jazz Era and the stark realities of segregation. Marrying musical prose with lyric vernacular, Saint Monkey delivers a stirring portrait of American storytelling and marks the appearance of an auspicious new voice in literary fiction.

©2014 Jacinda Townsend (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Magnetic!

The story was at first difficult to follow, but I was drawn into the plot and eager to learn more about the vivid characters and their complicated relationships.

3.5 Stars

Jacinda Townsend’s Saint Monkey is the story of two friends growing up in rural Kentucky in the fifties. Narrated by Allyson Johnson and told in alternating first person narrative, Saint Monkey allows readers into the lives of AUdrey and Caroline and their struggle to navigate life, love, family, and friendship. Allyson Johnson’s expert narration in a soft southern accent allows listeners to experience the emotions of the girls. Listeners will have no problem distinguishing the two characters as Caroline learns life gives few breaks and Audrey realizes that dreams may just not be enough. Saint Monkey is a character study that is at times both dark and hopeful but ultimately about dealing with the harsh realities of life as two girls come of age in Kentucky.

A great great read!

I loved the characters. The story was at times dark, at times funny but always compelling. Both the writing and narration are beautifully crafted which had the effect of making me feel deeply connected to the characters. The author’s attention to detail and lyrical descriptions of people and places made the period come alive.

I wanted to like this book, but....

What disappointed you about Saint Monkey?

This book was more or less like listening to two strangers talk to you about other strangers for 12 hours. The story-telling aspect missed the mark for me. I expected much more excitement. The story would go on and on about the most mundane things. Even the dramatic scenes were pretty lackluster.

Would you ever listen to anything by Jacinda Townsend again?

I'm not sure.... I may give her another chance.

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

She did a good job acting out the story and bringing out each character's unique personality.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I liked the characters. The author did an excellent job highlighting their internal conflicts, dreams, and insecurities. Also, it was well written. Perhaps I may have liked this book more if I read the print version instead.