Cover Image: We Have Never Lived On Earth

We Have Never Lived On Earth

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Member Reviews

Hmm... I couldn't get into this story. It was heartbreaking at times, but I think the writing just didn't work for me.

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The stories are intriguing, but unfortunate I had to give up on the audiobook because it was like listening to a robot narrating. I would love to read the book though.

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We Have Never Lived on Earth is a short story collection that explores the life of South African-Canadian Charlotte. Intimate and thought-provoking, each story allows us to understand her and the people who pass through her life a little better.

I listened to the audiobook of this, and while I liked the narrator, I just don't think this style of book lends itself well to the audiobook format. The stories are often non-chronological, with large gaps of time in between them. I found myself wondering whether another character had come up in previous stories, but with no easy way to flick back and check. I still found the stories beautifully written, but some of the interconnected nature was lost, I fear.

I found it easier to focus on just enjoying each story on its own merits. I definitely found some of them more compelling than others, but again, the audiobook format unfortunately means I can't easily identify the names of the chapters that resonated with me the most.

At times, it felt like some of the stories slipped into the realm of speculative fiction, but I couldn't really tell how different the world of the novel is from our own.

At a tight 5 hours, I think this is a collection that would benefit from a relisten. I definitely think I would have appreciated it more if I could have read it instead of listening to it.

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I really enjoyed We Have Never Lived on Earth by Kasia Van Schaik! These are great stories! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Marysia Bucholc and she did a great job. I loved how the first story made me laugh. The humour was unexpected. I loved the Canadian setting. It’s interesting that these stories all are told from the same point of view the protagonist Charlotte as she grows up. This is a strong debut collection and I’d be interested to read more from this author.

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