The Daisy Chain, or Aspirations


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.2 stars; 14 reviews)

Join the endearing May family in small-town England as each member lives through some pivotal years. How will they face the changes that shake their family to the core?

To quote the preface: "It would beg to be considered merely as what it calls itself, a Family Chronicle—a domestic record of home events, large and small, during those years of early life when the character is chiefly formed, and as an endeavour to trace the effects of those aspirations which are a part of every youthful nature."

The following cast list (including nicknames) may be helpful when first meeting the large May family. Parents: Dick and Maggie, Children: Richard (May), Margaret, Flora, Norman (June), Ethel, Harry (July), Mary, Tom (August), Blanche, Aubrey, Gertrude Margaret (Daisy)
(Summary by HannahMary) (29 hr 54 min)

Chapters

Preface 1:44 Read by Hannah Mary
Part 1, Chapter 1 27:04 Read by Hannah Mary
Part 1, Chapter 2 21:02 Read by Hannah Mary
Part 1, Chapter 3 33:35 Read by Gaëlle Gosselin
Part 1, Chapter 4 26:17 Read by Bhavya
Part 1, Chapter 5 29:31 Read by Gaëlle Gosselin
Part 1, Chapter 6 27:21 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 7 25:53 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 8 29:13 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 9 37:26 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 10 16:51 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 11 26:46 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 12 24:43 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 13 31:13 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 14 28:06 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 15 32:57 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 16 21:15 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 17 25:39 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 18 36:10 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 19 37:12 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 20 47:12 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 21 25:43 Read by Hannah Mary
Part 1, Chapter 22 38:05 Read by Gaëlle Gosselin
Part 1, Chapter 23 19:15 Read by Gaëlle Gosselin
Part 1, Chapter 24 29:14 Read by Gaëlle Gosselin
Part 1, Chapter 25 39:45 Read by Gaëlle Gosselin
Part 1, Chapter 26 46:47 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 27 28:36 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 28 27:10 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 29 26:06 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 1, Chapter 30 32:30 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 1 33:24 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 2 14:51 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 3 25:10 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 4 38:11 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 5 26:36 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 6 23:13 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 7 44:37 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 8 28:32 Read by Hannah Mary
Part 2, Chapter 9 48:04 Read by Hannah Mary
Part 2, Chapter 10 40:50 Read by jenno
Part 2, Chapter 11 31:59 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 12 43:32 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 13 35:32 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 14 20:17 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 15 21:02 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 16 28:02 Read by jenno
Part 2, Chapter 17 43:47 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 18 40:06 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 19 31:39 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 20 43:54 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 21 30:10 Read by Nancy Gorgen
Part 2, Chapter 22 37:03 Read by Brooke Favorat
Part 2, Chapter 23 34:18 Read by Brooke Favorat
Part 2, Chapter 24 41:57 Read by Brooke Favorat
Part 2, Chapter 25 31:52 Read by jenno
Part 2, Chapter 26 30:14 Read by ChadH94
Part 2, Chapter 27 25:13 Read by Hannah Mary

Reviews


(3 stars)

I’m not sure how I feel about it, honestly. There are parts where I was on the edge of my seat, parts where I cried my eyes out, and parts when I was bored stiff and could barely pay attention. It didn’t make me laugh. I like the May family very much, but they really are very goody two shoes. There is a natural tendency to dislike do-gooders, yet they are not the least Pecksniffian, each totally devoted to the welfare of the others. Even the paralytic manages to survive for seven years. In 1855? I doubt it. Also, you can’t dislike a family that suffers so many tragedies. I am a Believer, so I can appreciate that their faith is the foundation of their lives, their ability to rise above tragedy, their desire to make the lives of the people around them better, and I value the faith of the woman who brought these fictional characters to life. If you are not a believer I think you would find them all ridiculous, preachy, and boring. I can’t recommend the reading. There are a lot of them and only a couple are worth listening to. This is a book I would listen to at double speed on Audible, which you can’t do here, sadly. I might have given it four stars with a professional Reader. At least 3 1/2. Or maybe not. I doubt I will ever read this again, but I will probably never forget it either.

I quit


(3 stars)

Ms Goslin doesn't seem to understand what she's reading and all her emphasis comes on the wrong word. But I quit when the reader of chapter 5 pronounced Blanche Blan-shay.


(5 stars)

Very nice book, takes a little to get into it but there’s actually a lot going on