Singing Songs

By: Meg Tilly

Narrated by: Meg Tilly

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Singing Songs is the masterful realization of a young girl's journey to adulthood in a chaotic, abusive, and fragmented world. It is the story of a strange and beautiful metamorphosis and makes a profound statement about the dark and secret places of family life. Tilly wrote this book based on her own memories as a child.

©1994 Meg Tilly (P)2007 Meg Tilly

Critic reviews

"Sometimes creativity blesses twice....an impressive first novel." ( Publishers Weekly)

Innocence lost

This is a sad story told from a child's point of view with and innocence that tugged at my heartstrings. At the same time, it is a story about perseverance and triumph. The performance by Meg Tilly is absolutely amazing.

Intense

Because Meg Tilly is such a fine actress this was a tough listen.
You could feel everything Anna felt and that's not such a good thing.
However, it was a very well written and performed story of crazy dysfunction.
At times it sounded like she had way too much coffee while she read this. I realize though that it was intentional.

I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone I know but I would like to check out
her other works.

Great storytelling without a structure

Meg Tilly brings the character Anna to life, not surprising considering the biographical nature of the work. The book is less a novel and more a collection of revealing stories about live in her chaotic family told in chronological order. Consequently, there isn't the usual climax of a novel. The end of the book is just another story that left me a bit dissatisfied. There is no denouement.

Some things sound all too real

While others seem gratuitously fake. Can a father really get away with kidnapping one of the kids at gunpoint?
So what happened to them?? Why leave gaping holes in the story?!

Singing Songs

I think Meg Tilly is as talented a writer as she is an actress. Singing Songs is a wonderful book. This true story is well written and draws you in from the beginning.

No proper ending

While I liked it, I wish it would have had a proper ending. There were no resolutions. We're left with a lot of questions and no answers, that's the only thing that I didn't like. I feel like I have no closure and I'll forever wonder what happened to each character

No ending!

As in Meg Tilly's "Gemma" this story leaves the reader wondering how the story ends??????????? Great listen but a very disappointing ending.

What?

This book was harsh AF. If this is memoir, then I say the writer was brave. If this is fiction then I say, are you serious? It was like ambulance chasing. Then it just ended. Like that. The tiniest bit of hope and the book stops, leaving the listener with many unanswered questions and quite frankly an ill feeling.

Honest and compelling

I have 'Singing Songs' both as the book and the audiobook. It was a lot harder to listen to the story than it was to read. And while I hesitate to say I *enjoyed* listening to 'Singing Songs' (as the subject is a very painful one) I'm glad I did.

I've been singing the praises of the book/audiobook to all my friends. Yes, at times it's hard to read, but it's supposed to be. Child abuse is not a matter that anyone should be able to brush aside. I had to take breaks and give myself time to digest what I'd heard, but each time, I felt compelled to return to hear more of Anna's remarkable story.

Meg Tilly giving her own voice not only to the words but the heart as well makes this a very special audiobook.

Different

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It kept me listening. It was interesting hearing it told from the mentality of the character based on her age. It makes it more impacting emotionally when she tells the gruesome details.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

It ended abruptly. I am not sure to fix it, but am fairly sure a good writer could have ended it in a way not leaving a reader or listener wanting.

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

She brings all the proper inflection. It is a real treat to have the author read their iwn book.

Could you see Singing Songs being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Sure...as a Lifetime production. Lol Enjoy.