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Wakenhyrst

By: Michelle Paver
Narrated by: Juanita McMahon
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Summary

Bloomsbury presents Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver, read by Juanita McMahon.

A Times Best Book of 2019.

'Paver is one of Britain's modern greats. This sinister, gothic chiller shows why' BIG ISSUE, Books of the Year 2019.

"Something has been let loose..."

In Edwardian Suffolk, a manor house stands alone in a lost corner of the Fens: a glinting wilderness of water whose whispering reeds guard ancient secrets. Maud is a lonely child growing up without a mother, ruled by her repressive father.

When he finds a painted medieval devil in a graveyard, unhallowed forces are awakened.

Maud's battle has begun. She must survive a world haunted by witchcraft, the age-old legends of her beloved fen – and the even more nightmarish demons of her father's past.

Spanning five centuries, Wakenhyrst is a darkly gothic thriller about murderous obsession and one girl's longing to fly free by the bestselling author of Dark Matter and Thin Air. Wakenhyrst is an outstanding new piece of story-telling, a tale of mystery and imagination laced with terror. It is a masterwork in the modern gothic tradition that ranges from Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker to Neil Gaiman and Sarah Perry.
©2019 Michelle Paver (P)2019 Head of Zeus
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Critic reviews

"A ghost story to chill and thrill...Like Touching the Void rewritten by Jack London, Thin Air is a heart-freezing masterpiece." (Guardian)

"Paver is the mistress of suspense." (The Times)

"A wonderful atmospheric and hugely enjoyable ghost story." (Anthony Horowitz)

What listeners say about Wakenhyrst

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

atmospheric, gripping & well written

I rarely leave reviews but was moved to by Wakenhurst as I was so impressed by it. Michelle Paver skilfully weaves a haunting atmospheric tale which intertwines supernatural and psychological happenings. She really effectively maintains suspense for a novel length ghost story...an impressive feat on its own.

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

slow

Slow start and took a while to get into. Not what I was expecting when reading the summary. Worth a listen, but not the most riveting story.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

All I can say is that it was an enjoyable listen, nice to pass the time.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Michelle Paver strikes again

Michelle never fails to draw me in to her settings, and deep into her characters minds.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic!

One of the best audio books I've listened to! Well narrated and a gripping story...spooky in places!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Girl with oedipus complex discovers daddy is a

Girl with oedipus complex discovers daddy is a femicidal maniac, her world is now shattered

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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everything an audiobook should be

well written, perfectly read, gothic mystery.
this is exactly the sort of audiobook I love.
thank you to everyone involved.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, twisting plot.

Paver's writing pays thoughtful tribute to her heroine's traumatic childhood at the mercy of her awful father. The plot twists and turns but stays true to human frailties despite the book being populated by devils. I loved it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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I wanted Maud to have a happy ending

I loved this book. It has many elements to it, mystery, a bit of romance but not overly, sad, horrible in parts but very well read by Juanita McMahon. I have not heard her before but will look out for her in future. I thought her voice was not unlike Anna Massey and it brought something to the story that might otherwise have been lost. She transported me to Maud's world which was very closed and troubled but did not sentimentalise it which would have spoilt the story, for me anyway. I really enjoyed it and would definitely listen to it again, albeit after quite a gap so I am taken again into Maud's quite claustrophobic world. Recommended without hesitation.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My life came to a standstill !

Considering this was a free book it was one of the best thrillers I’ve listened to in a long long time!
The suspense was all the way through the book.
I will not spoil the plot , I will say at various points I wasn’t sure who was descending into madness & couldn’t wait to see what would happen.
10 out of 10

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