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    Forgive Me
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    Forgive Me
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    Forgive Me
    Audiobook7 hours

    Forgive Me

    Written by Amanda Eyre Ward

    Narrated by Ann Marie Lee

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    From the acclaimed author of How to Be Lost comes a gorgeous new novel about love, memory, and motherhood.

    Nadine Morgan travels the world as a journalist, covering important events, following dangerous leads, and running from anything that might tie her down. Since an assignment in Cape Town ended in tragedy and regret, Nadine has not returned to South Africa, or opened her heart-until she hears the story of Jason Irving.

    Jason, an American student, was beaten to death by angry local youths at the height of the apartheid era. Years later, his mother is told that Jason's killers have applied for amnesty. Jason's parents pack their bags and fly from Nantucket to Cape Town. Filled with rage, Jason's mother resolves to fight the murderers' pleas for forgiveness.

    As Nadine follows the Irvings to beautiful, ghost-filled South Africa, she is flooded with memories of a time when the pull toward adventure and intrigue left her with a broken heart. Haunted by guilt and a sense of remorse, and hoping to lose herself in her coverage of the murder trial, Nadine grows closer to Jason's mother as well as to the mother of one of Jason's killers-with profound consequences. In a country both foreign and familiar, Nadine is forced to face long-buried demons, come to terms with the missing pieces of her own family past, and learn what it means to truly love and to forgive.

    With her dazzling prose and resonant themes, Amanda Eyre Ward has joined the ranks of such beloved American novelists as Anne Tyler and Ann Patchett. Gripping, darkly humorous, and luminous, Forgive Me is an unforgettable story of dreams and longing, betrayal and redemption.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJun 19, 2007
    ISBN9780739344118
    Unavailable
    Forgive Me
    Author

    Amanda Eyre Ward

    Amanda Eyre Ward was born in New York City, and graduated from Williams College and the University of Montana. Her short stories have been published in various literary reviews and magazines. She is the author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning novel ‘Sleep Towards Heaven’ and ‘How to be Lost’, and was named by the New York Post as one of five Writers to Watch in 2003. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, geologist Tip Meckel.

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    Reviews for Forgive Me

    3.5/5

    99 ratings15 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I'm waffling between three and four stars for this one. I liked it quite a bit. It's always hard to know how you'll feel about a book six months later, but right now this one has me researching South Africa ... I found from reading it that there's quite a bit I'd forgotten or never knew about apartheid.

      Ms. Ward creates great characters, I really like the women she writes about ... they're always so different from me. She does throw a loop in this one, there's a bit I didn't expect, and I'm not sure if I'm ticked off about or not right now ... but it did make the book quite interesting, this little "aha" moment. So I guess I'm not that ticked off.
    • 5/5
      I just finished reading Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward. Nadine Morgan is a journalist who travels the world, covering dangerous and important events and running from anything that might tie her down. After a story turns tragic in Cape Town, South Africa, Nadine doesn't go back - or open her heart; until she hears the story of American Jason Irving.Jason was beaten to death by angry local youths during the height of the aparteid era. Now, years later, his mother has been told that Jason's killers have applied for amnesty. His parents pack up and fly from Nantucket to Cape Town for the hearing determined not to bestow forgiveness.Nadine follows the Irvings back to Cape Town, determined to lose herself in covering the hearing and trying to forget the ghosts of her past. During her time there in South Africa, Nadine befriends both the mother of the victim and the mother of the killers, leading to serious consequences. I loved this story and give it an A+!
    • 3/5
      I have several of Amanda Eyre Ward's books on my shelves, and although this is one of her later ones, this is the first I've read. I think there's something about the covers on her books that appeal to me. This is a tough novel to review. Lots of good ideas in here, but it just didn't pull together very well -- kind of disjointed, an extremely selfish & unlikeable main character, and an ending that was a bit confusing. There were almost too many different plot lines going on to make this a well-written book, and I wish Ward would've picked one & stuck with it. I did learn some things about Apartheid (which I ashamedly admit I was very ignorant of prior to this) and some of the relationships in this book were worth exploring. But I still just felt like this could've all been pulled together more effectively than it was. Regardless, I still am interested in reading some of Eyre's other novels, as they seem to have garnered better praise.
    • 3/5
      This is the story of 35-year-old Nadine Morgan, a journalist who covers dangerous areas, principally South Africa during apartheid. Ms. Ward brings in a surprising plot twist that makes the book interesting. Other than that, I found it pretty ordinary, with characters who didn't seem real and several situations that seemed contrived.
    • 5/5
      A while back, A Garden Carried in the Pocket was giving away a copy of Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward. The story sounded interesting and I immediately signed up. I didn’t win but when i saw it at the library, I snapped it up.It’s hard to put into words how much I enjoyed this novel. I don’t think the fact that just the main character is a journalist swayed my decision, but it probably helped. “Ten years after Nadine’s departure, South Africa was tasting a fragile peace. The city before Nadine had changed completely, and yet her was Nadine, still alone, still running, the same.” {pg. 112}The story is heart-wrenching and gripping. I read the whole thing on the airplane ride home from Anaheim. It’s surprising and often threw me for a loop. One of my favorite things from this book was the Nantucket to Stardom pieces, but I won’t ruin it for you by telling you why I was surprised.
    • 4/5
      Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward tells the story of a journalist, Nadine, who has traveled the world to report significant events. At the beginning of the book, she is forced to take a break from her job, but then hears about an amnesty hearing in South Africa for the killer of an American journalist who lost his life years before. Nadine reported on the murder and consequent trial when it initially occurred, and she feels the need to return. In the amnesty hearings, those who murdered for the sake of their country can be forgiven and released from jail if the surviving parents are able to forgive.Nadine struggles with her own issues at home, including relationships that were strained due to her dedication to her career. Amanda Eyre Ward does a wonderful job of incorporating the two story lines. And as in Sleep Towards Heaven, her characters are cleverly woven together. The writing flows throughout the book and makes it a fast read. Very good book!
    • 4/5
      Journalist Nadine Morgan isn't afraid to go anywhere and do anything to get the news stories that count. She's not afraid to look death in the face, she doesn't shy away from even the most grisly crimes against humanity, and she never gets so attached to one place that she won't dash to another to seek out the next big story. The things that haunt Nadine are far more mundane: the long distant death of her mother followed by her father's subsequent neglect, her best friend's choice of full time motherhood over what Nadine would call a more worthwhile livelihood, and scariest of all, the threat of being trapped for any length of time on Cape Cod, a place she'd escaped as soon as she was able. Amanda Eyre Ward's latest novel, Forgive Me, proceeds in three sections as Nadine returns to South Africa to follow up on the story of a Cape Cod native whose death brought her there in the first place. One follows her current activities as she begins to question whether she hungers and thirsts for stories like she once did, or whether she'd rather "settle" for the handsome Dr. Duarte waiting back in Nantucket. As she awaits the trial of Cape Cod native Jason Irving's killers, she finds herself chasing his parents to get their take on the events while doing some serious soul-searching of her own about what she really wants out of life and how to atone for her past in South Africa that continues to dog her steps. The second part offers brief glimpses into her past in South Africa as she sought the major story that would open the door to endless career opportunities. Neither her friends nor her lover can stand in the way of her naked ambition to seek out this lifechanging story. The third part, somewhat incongruously, is the journal of a flamboyant youngster seeking fame through his talent for musical theater, despite his reservations about the man who would open those doors for him.Had this not been my third read by Amanda Eyre Ward, there's a distinct chance I might have enjoyed it more. As it happens, though, I've begun to recognize her writing pattern and knew that things certainly weren't as they seemed and that the three separate narratives would inevitably resolve themselves in an unexpected way. Nadine isn't a particularly lovable character and her budding relationship with the unlikely Dr. Duarte failed to draw me in. Ward's efforts to alternate between times and storylines results in writing that is a bit choppy and failed to fully engage me in her main character's story. That said, Ward is a great master of suspenseful literary fiction. Despite the fact that there is no particular mystery to be solved, no lives particularly at stake, and no one event that hangs in the balance, Ward keeps you hanging on until the end wondering if Nadine will find what she's been looking for all her life that ultimately has very little to do with her career goals and just how these three narrative threads are going to resolve themselves. Ward's novel is certainly interesting enough, but I felt there was some special something lacking. Forgive Me is a quick, easy, interesting read about a woman who never managed to find herself and a South Africa trying to heal itself from years of Apartheid with a healthy, if unexpected, moral to the story. Unfortunately, however, I fear that for me it will end up being a bit too easily forgotten.
    • 4/5
      Good book, but I liked How To Be Lost better.
    • 3/5
      I only read this because it was set in South Africa, but ended up skimming it. The plot was bizarre and didn't really hang together; the writing was ordinary. My favorite part was the kid's journal, but I never did understand how it related to the overall story of the murder of a student in South Africa. And the heroine's need to seduce one man after another got on my nerves.
    • 4/5
      Nadine Morgan, the character at the heart of Amanda Eyre Ward’s latest novel Forgive Me, is not a likeable protagonist—but that’s the whole point. This is a book about forgiveness. Before redemption can occur, the main character has to live through, and eventually realize the extent of her wrongdoings. Readers are able take a fictional journey with her during this process. Along the way, we get to know a woman with a seriously flawed moral compass—a woman who consistently gets into situations in which she walks all over people’s innermost feelings. Eventually, we arrive with her at her moment of self-discovery—the point in her life when she begins to see the errors of her ways and starts to imagine a path toward redemption. This is a very interesting journey, and obviously it is one that most people would never make on their own. Thankfully, we have fiction to take us there! We come into Nadine’s life when she is 35 years old. She is already a successful career journalist who specializes in getting the tough stories in the bloodiest and most dangerous corners of the world. The book starts near Mexico City, where Nadine is beaten to within an inch of her life by drug lords. The next thing she knows, she is in her hometown, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, being cared for by her father and his live-in girlfriend. She panics and wants out immediately. She’s an adrenaline junkie missing out on whole world of action-packed news stories. For Nadine, Woods Hole might as well be Hell. She can’t stand living with her father and his companion. She starts to detest her childhood best friend for her simple homemaker’s life. Out of desperation, more than anything else, Nadine has an affair with Hank, the doctor who is taking care of her. He ends up falling in love with her. But she abandons him, and all the other loving people in Woods Hole that care so much about her. She does this so easily and thoughtlessly it takes your breath away. Before you know it, Nadine is flying off to South Africa to follow a developing page-one news story. The rest of the novel deals with two fast-paced interlocking stories: one full of some of the worst that the world can offer in manipulation, betrayal, and physical violence, the other full of childhood innocence. The juxtaposition and symbiosis of these two completely antithetical storylines creates enormous tension. It helps that the reader is allowed to keep one foot in a world of innocent childhood normalcy, while the other is uncomfortably dangling in an unsavory and violent world most of us would rather know as little about as possible. In South Africa, Nadine tries to get the best angle possible on a big international news article about two grieving American parents returning to South Africa to fight against amnesty for their son’s killers. It’s been ten years since a mob of black South African teenagers murdered their son and the perpetrators were sent to jail. At the time, it was at the height of Apartheid. Ironically, the young American had come to South Africa to fight against Apartheid, but he was killed merely because he was white and in the wrong place at the wrong time. The secondary storyline consists of excerpts from a journal entitled "Nantucket to Stardom." It is best not to reveal too much about this journal, even though it takes up a considerable portion of the novel’s overall content. Trust that this second storyline is important, and don’t overlook the details. All will make sense in the end. Don’t read this novel if you hope to gain insight into the history of Apartheid. This novel will tell you (perhaps more than you may want to know) about routine atrocities that were committed during that time, but Ward will not give you any insight into the political environment that surrounded that era. Ward never tarries from her focus relentlessly pushing the plot forward.What Ward does best here is character development. In this book, the author creates Nadine Morgan, a completely believable antiheroine. Then, the author has the skill to artfully and carefully redeem her. Don’t expect everything to be tied together neatly at the end. Ward loves to leave her readers with loose ends to ponder. She wants her readers to be thinking about her books long after they finish the last page. Has Nadine truly been redeemed? Can a she truly change her basic nature? What will become of her in the years ahead? I like that—an author demanding the participation of the reader after the novel is completed. I will definitely continue to look for more work by this author in the future.
    • 3/5
      Nadine Morgan gets beaten with in a inch of her life while covering a story in Mexico. She goes home and stays with her father for awhile and then leaves for Cape Town to cover a hearing on whether a black woman covicted of killing white man should go free. The story would have been a lot more interesting if the author would have dealt more with the hearing and less with the self centered main charater of Nadine.
    • 4/5
      Amanda Eyre Ward has written an interesting story about Nadine Morgan, a journalist who has traveled the world in search of the next big story, making sure nothing ties her down. After being badly beaten in Mexico, she returns to Cape Cod to the home of her father and his girlfriend. Nadine's mother died when she was quite young and she was raised by a father who dealt with his grief by working all the time. While on Cape Cod, she meets Dr. Duarte who is taking care of the injuries received in Mexico. There is a mutual attraction between the two. But first Nadine feels she must return to South Africa which she left 10 years ago after a tragedy. She is going to cover the Truth and Reconcilation Commission hearings regarding the death of Jason Irving, a teacher from Cape Cod. Jason's parents are flying to South Africa to attend the TRC and Nadine is determined to interview them.This story is told in the present (mid 1990's)and in flashbacks, with interesting enteries from a journal. I am embarrassed to admit before this book I had read nothing about apartheid. Ms. Ward tells in gripping detail some of the atrocities carried out by both sides, atrocities you will not soon forget. Overall I thought this was a good book. The story was interesting. I felt the characters were well drawn and fully developed. And I particularly liked the way the author pulled everything together in the end. Overall I would recommend this book to family and friends.
    • 3/5
      I really didn't care for the book all that much. It wasn't a terrible read but I didn't jell for me. The book was disjointed and the characters didn't compel me at all. It did touch on an interesting subject of apartheid but it didn't come together in the end. I actually liked the sub plot part of the book, but didn't understand the purpose, because the characters were compelling.
    • 3/5
      Nadine Gordon becomes a journalist in part to escape her Cape Cod childhood and see the world. When she is badly injured in Mexico, she finds herself back at Cape Cod. A burgeoning romance with Dr. Duarte causes her to question her wandering existence. When Nadine reads a story about Jason Irving, an American teacher who was killed in South Africa during Nadine's stint there, she finds that she must go back and tell his story, as well as confront her past. Irving's parents are set to appear at the hearing of Jason's killers in front of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Nadine is determined to tell their story, despite the opposition of Jason's mother.I did enjoy Ward's writing style and her characterization of Nadine, as well as a glimpse into the process of the Truth and Reconciliation Program. However, I felt that the demons that Nadine was in South Africa to confront were not worthy of the build-up given to them. In addition, I found a later subplot to be both confusing and extraneous to the story. Overall, though, it was a fast, suspenseful read.
    • 4/5
      Amanda Eyre Ward takes difficult subject matter and writes in such a way that makes it easy to digest while at the same time, not taking away from the gravity of it. Forgive Me is the story of Nadine, a journalist who is used to being on the front line. She is a proud woman who leads an exciting life chasing down stories and putting her life in peril. She rarely takes time out to actually live her own life and face her own fears. Her mother died when Nadine was a young girl, after which her father spent more time working than raising his daughter. Nadine longed to leave Woods Hole, Massachusetts where she grew up, wanting to see the world as her mother once longed to do. Nadine made that dream come true, never looking back. When a brutal assault leaves her in need of bed rest and healing, she finds herself back in Woods Hole under the care of her father and his girlfriend. Nadine wants nothing more than to get back to work. Befriending the local doctor, Hank Duarte, Nadine finds a comfort she had not expected to find, and yet she still feels confused and alone.When news reaches her that the parents of Jason Irving will be traveling to South Africa to argue against amnesty for one of their son’s murderers, Nadine’s mind is made up. She is determined to travel to South Africa to follow the story that she had first reported on all those years ago. During a time when apartheid was at its height, Jason Irving, an American teacher, was beaten to death by a group of angry youth. His murderers did not care that he was against apartheid, they only cared that his skin was white and believed his death would lead to the end of their oppression. Several years later, in an effort to promote democracy in the country, the new South African government enlisted the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to revisit old crimes of violence. Victims could come forward to seek justice and perpetrators of violence could request amnesty.With her return to South Africa, Nadine is forced to face her own past, the tragedy and pain that she has had to live with all the years in between. Forgive Me is the perfect title for a book that in many ways speaks of redemption. Amanda Eyre Ward’s story is multi-layered, each character being complex and their stories just as much so. She has created a cast of characters who are interesting and real. At one point in the novel Gwen, Nadine’s father’s girlfriend, comments that Nadine is like an onion with multiple layers. The author deftly demonstrates this as the story unfolds, the narrative weaving from the past to the present (present being the late 1990’s), with an occasional journal entry that adds an unexpected and more complex layer. The author’s easy writing style makes this book a quick read, however it is not one that will sit lightly with the reader once the last page is read. The racial issues and violence of apartheid from both sides are explored as well as the recovery and healing process once that period in time has come to a close. Forgive Me is a moving novel that has heart and punch. It is well worth reading.