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- Title: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry: A Novel
- Author: Fredrik Backman
- Narrator: Joan Walker
- Length: 11:02:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 16/06/2015
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Genre: Fiction & Literature, Literary Fiction, Coming of Age
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s a particular magic that happens when a gifted storyteller’s words meet the perfect narrator’s voice – it becomes more than an audiobook, it becomes a shared journey. Fredrik Backman’s “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry”, brought to life by Joan Walker’s exceptional narration, is one of those rare listening experiences that lingers in your heart long after the final chapter. As someone who’s spent countless hours on remote roads with only audiobooks for company, I can tell you this story made me pull over more than once, just to sit with its emotional weight.
Backman’s tale of seven-year-old Elsa and her eccentric grandmother immediately transported me back to my own childhood in New Mexico, where my abuela would spin fantastical stories about our ancestors while making tortillas. Like Elsa’s grandmother, mine understood that the best stories aren’t just told – they’re lived. Joan Walker captures this generational storytelling tradition perfectly, her voice shifting effortlessly between Elsa’s youthful curiosity and the grandmother’s boisterous spirit. There’s a musicality to her delivery that makes the Land-of-Almost-Awake sequences feel like listening to a beloved lullaby.
The audiobook’s greatest strength lies in how it balances whimsy with profound emotional truth. Backman’s writing, already rich with humor and heart on the page, gains new dimensions through Walker’s performance. She handles the tonal shifts masterfully – one moment you’re laughing at the grandmother’s paintball antics, the next you’re blinking back tears as Elsa navigates grief. I found myself thinking of those storytelling evenings in Oaxaca I mentioned earlier, where joy and sorrow always danced together in the same tale.
What struck me most during my listening experience was how Backman uses fantasy not as escape, but as a lens to examine real human relationships. The apartment building’s eccentric residents become as vivid as any fairy tale creatures, thanks to Walker’s distinct character voices. Her portrayal of the ‘monster’ (I won’t spoil the revelation) is particularly moving, capturing both the gruff exterior and wounded heart beneath.
As a travel writer, I’m always searching for stories that capture the essence of place, and this audiobook delivers that beautifully. The Swedish setting comes alive through subtle vocal cues and pacing choices – you can almost feel the crisp northern air and hear the creak of the apartment building’s stairs. Walker’s narration creates such a strong sense of atmosphere that I found myself looking up flights to Stockholm halfway through listening.
The novel’s exploration of difference and belonging resonated deeply with me. Backman writes about outsiders with uncommon empathy, and Walker voices these characters without a hint of caricature. There’s a particular scene where Elsa realizes everyone carries invisible wounds that had me parked on a Colorado mountain pass, staring at the horizon as memories of people I’ve met in my travels flashed through my mind – the Syrian refugee in Berlin who carried his mother’s recipes, the Maori elder in New Zealand who’d lost his land but not his stories.
If I had one critique, it’s that the audiobook’s emotional intensity might benefit from occasional breaks – I found myself needing to pause and reflect more often than with typical listens. But this isn’t a flaw so much as a testament to the story’s power. The 13-hour runtime feels perfectly paced, with Walker knowing exactly when to speed up for excitement and when to slow for emotional moments.
For listeners who enjoyed “A Man Called Ove”, this offers a similar blend of humor and humanity, but with more magical realism. It also reminded me of the oral storytelling traditions I’ve encountered worldwide – from the griots of West Africa to the Irish seanchaí. There’s a universal quality to Backman’s tale that transcends culture, much like the best folk stories.
As I write this from a café in Lisbon (where I’ve been recommending this audiobook to anyone who’ll listen), I’m struck by how Elsa’s journey mirrors our own human need to make sense of life through stories. Whether you’re commuting, traveling, or simply need a companion during quiet evenings, this audiobook feels like being let in on a precious family secret – one that changes you just by hearing it.
With stories to tell and roads yet to travel,
Marcus Rivera
