The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow

A Novel

By: Rita Leganski

Narrated by: Maggi-Meg Reed

Conceived in love and possibility, Bonaventure Arrow didn't make a peep when he was born, and the doctor nearly took him for dead. No one knows that Bonaventure's silence is filled with resonance - a miraculous gift of rarified hearing that encompasses the Universe of Every Single Sound. Growing up in the big house on Christopher Street in Bayou Cymbaline, Bonaventure can hear flowers grow, a thousand shades of blue, and the miniature tempests that rage inside raindrops. He can also hear the gentle voice of his father, William Arrow, shot dead before Bonaventure was born by a mysterious stranger known only as the Wanderer.

Bonaventure's remarkable gift of listening promises salvation to the souls who love him: his beautiful young mother, Dancy, haunted by the death of her husband; his Grand-mere Letice, plagued by grief and a long-buried guilt she locks away in a chapel; and his father, William, whose roaming spirit must fix the wreckage of the past. With the help of Trinidad Prefontaine, a Creole housekeeper endowed with her own special gifts, Bonaventure will find the key to long-buried mysteries and soothe a chorus of family secrets clamoring to be healed.

©2012 Rita Leganski (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

A darling, lyrical gem

I LOVE this book. It is a darling lyrical gem of beautiful language and gentle philosophy about how the characters deal with the currents in their lives. I remember thinking that the author must have had so much fun coming up with images for the things Bonaventure could hear. I am so glad I listened to the audible version; the narrator, Maggi-Meg Reed, was perfect and found distinct voices for the characters. I wish they had cast her to read the Hunger Games trilogy. I am adding this one to my favorites list and will look for more from Ms Leganski.

One of the themes in this book is forgiveness, a favorite topic of mine. I especially like this passage, which comes toward the end of the book: "The words fell all around her then like a kind and curing rain: Father, forgive them; they know not what they do. Right there and then, Letice Arrow knew in absolute clarity that forgiveness is unconditional; it is complete in and of itself and always rises above the facts."

I love this story

beautiful story about the things we don't hear

I read this book many years ago but the audio version is magic. The voices and characters are all so unique and interesting.

Melodrama abounds, excellent narrator

Melodrama, religion and the fanciful supernatural abound in this novel… Despite that, I enjoyed it and was very impressed by the narration.

Unusual story, wrong narrator

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

This is the rare book that is better read than listened to. It's not often I feel this way, but there is a delicacy about this story and the prose that is somehow flattened by the narrators voice. I think a different narrator would have been more effective.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Trinidad Prefontaine was fascinating and sympathetic.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed?

This is the second book I've heard with this narrator, and I enjoyed that performance. She did a competent job here, but her voice was somehow wrong for the delicacy of this story.

Was The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow worth the listening time?

It's a better book to read to appreciate the mysticism and delicacy of the story.

Read it

Loved it!! The book truly demonstrates that Love, forgiveness and not judging others are what matter!

Maggi-Meg Reed is extraordinary

This novel was beautifully written. However, Maggi-Meg Reed is an absolutely exquisite narrator, who gave the novel an unimaginable richness, and a "voice" all its own.

Love, love, love this book

The characters are so richly written and the story is captivating. Our book club adored this book, start to finish.

Great

Beautiful story for love and lost And acceptance. The reader did the dialects very well yet still clearly. I got some cultural words confused at first but half way through they got easier

The silence of Bonaventure Arrow

This book is about an individual name Bonaventure Arrow who never made a sound from birth till the end of this book. He could hear every other type of sound. Including the sounds of souls who need to be saved.

The Silence of Boneventure Arrow

Where does The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book captured my attention immediately on opening. The performance was excellent. I enjoyed it very much. The characters were so real. It is both a drama and a mystery story but even though it keeps you guessing it is a very real type of story.

What other book might you compare The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow to and why?

It was comparable to the book/movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in that the child is born with a condition that is strange. However, as you read the book, you are so drawn into it that you will feel that his condition is acceptable and understandable under the circumstances. You will not regret getting this book.

Which character – as performed by Maggi-Meg Reed – was your favorite?

Boneventures father was my favorite character.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have loved to be able to listen to this book all in one sitting but it is a long book and I did carry it with me when traveling in the car and going to doctor's offices.