How to Raise an Elephant Audiobook By Alexander McCall Smith cover art

How to Raise an Elephant

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 21

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How to Raise an Elephant

By: Alexander McCall Smith
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
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The next book in the perennially adored No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series sees Precious Ramotswe calling upon all her maternal instincts when she's faced with a two-ton case.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but can Mma. Ramotswe and the rest of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency come together to raise a pipsqueak pachyderm? We may find out in this novel. We may not. Who can say?

©2020 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2020 Recorded Books Amateur Sleuths Cozy Detective Fiction Mystery Women Sleuths Women's Fiction
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Love the gentle cadence of these stories. The insight, wisdom, and gentle reminders are woven into interesting experiences. However, the narrator for Mma Makutsi was jarring and distracting. She sounded much older and detracted from her character. I finished this book but would not want to listen again.

Disappointing Narration

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Changing narrators is always somewhat jarring. As long as the new narrator does a good job, I can adjust partway through the book. This narrator is so bad, I stopped listening and finished the book in ebook form. This narrator was okay until she started on Mma Makutsi. I was fine with the general narration. I could get used to Mma Ramotswe, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, and Fanwell. But Mma Makutsi, Mma Potokwane, Charlie and some of the minor characters from this story were intolerable. They were all shrill. Even the younger characters sounded old.
Once I gave up on the audiobook and read the story, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was the usual gentle story I enjoy so much. The resolution to both the cousin mystery and the elephant were satisfying. Not the strongest of the books. But if you can get past the narration, or switch to reading, you can relax with Mma Ramotswe on her verandah and spend some time with some wonderful characters.
Edit: I small reflection on the narrator. To be fair, she has read some of my favorite books and I didn't have any problem with her. It was just this series that was what I considered a bad fit. I would not avoid a book because she narrates it but I would listen to the sample.

Needs a different narrator

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I'm a huge fan of the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I agree with everyone else who was bitterly disappointed when they discovered that this book was not narrated by the wonderful Lisette Lecat, who has been replaced by an AWFUL reader. I hope nothing bad has happened that prevented Ms Lecat from performing this book. I don't know if I'll be able to finish listening; might have to check the book out from the library and read it...

New narrator??? AWFUL!!!

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The narrator for this audiobook is terrible, shrill and very difficult to listen to, her voice gives me a headache! What happened to Lisette Leclare? I wish I had gotten the print version and not wasted my credit on the audio version

The Story is good but the Narrator isn’t

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After listening with delight to so many No1 LDA books read by Lisette Lecat I have grown to love the characters who were changed for the worse buy the new reader Adjoa. It totally ruined the book for me. Nothing more need be said.

New Reader Ruined Characters

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I love and adore all of the Mma Ramotswe books, but prefer to listen to them due to Lisette Lecat's fabulous narration. So WHY is she not narrating this one? I can't stand the torture of listening to this new narrator, although I'm sure she'd be fine or better than fine narrating other books. But she simply can't do justice to this series.

Please BRING BACK LISETTE! I can't stand even to finish this title, which breaks my heart. I will have to return it and read the book, and that won't be half as enjoyable as listening.

Where is Lisette Lecat?????

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Looking for a good listen for a road trip… but I was stuck with this. The story was good, but the reader - she has a wonderful voice for the narrated parts and for Mma Ramotswe, but the other characters? Her voice was grating and hard to tolerate. Maybe get a voice modulator for other parts, or a co-reader or just use the same voice throughout.

Narrator needs a vocal coach

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So excited to see a new No.1 Ladies book out! So disappointed with the actual listening experience! Harsh vocals and whiney characterizations of characters I have grown to love. Please bring back Lisette Lecat. I may purchase a hard copy of the next book, but I will not sit through another audio version of the new narrator.

Narrator ruined book for me!

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I loved the story as I have all of Alexander McCall Smith's works. I really missed Lisette Lecat as narrator. Adjoa Andoh didn't seem to have the range of voices for the characters.

Loved the story!

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Alexander McCall Smith did it again! It was the perfect antidote to a touch semester on line.
I feel optimistic and fell of holiday spirit!

He did it again

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