Ancestor Stones cover art

Ancestor Stones

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Ancestor Stones

By: Aminatta Forna
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
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About this listen

Abie follows the arc of a letter from London back to Africa to a coffee plantation that now could be hers if she wants it. Standing among the ruined groves she strains to hear the sound of the past, but the layers of years are too many.

Thus begins the gathering of her family's history through the tales of her aunts - four women born to four different wives of a wealthy plantation owner, her grandfather. Asana, Mariama, Hawa, and Serah: theirs is the story of a nation, a family, and four women's attempts to alter the course of her own destiny.

Aminatta Forna was born in Scotland and raised in West Africa and the UK. Her most recent novel The Hired Man is a tale of love, loss, betrayal, and war in Croatia. Her previous novel The Memory of Love (April 2010), was winner of the 2011 Commonwealth Writers Prize Best Book Award, and shortlisted for the Orange Prize 2011, the IMPAC 2012, and the 2011 Warwick Prize.

©2006 Aminatta Forna (P)2015 Audible, Ltd Contemporary Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Africa

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Critic reviews

"Forna succeeds in creating an inventive and memorable narrative" (The Observer)
"Her lyrical first novel derives much power from personal history. It's a passionate book" (The Sunday Telegraph)
All stars
Most relevant
A bit confusing about who is who in the story but overall I loved it

beautiful stories

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This is a beautiful and beautifully told story or should that be stories? Like others, I found the time sequencing and thus the character’s stories difficult to put in order. It would be helpful if Audible could add a pdf of who and when so that we could return to it. Definitely a case of having the written book would have helped. That said, I just went with the flow and enjoyed the descriptions and flashes of humour. I marvelled at the insightful strength of women and enjoyed learning about cultural changes and beliefs through their lives while the impact and awfulness of war is relevant throughout time and especially now. I shall look for more from this author.

Wonderful descriptions

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This story gripped me from the start. The narrator is lively and accurate. The women in the story coming to life in her voice. You will leave this book missing the people you met.

Outstanding in every way

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Really well told history/life story of individual women interconnected by blood and family. Brilliant

History from the Female perspective.

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A wonderful tale, well narrated completely immersive and thought provoking. Another compelling story from an emotive author.

Powerful, insightful and empowering

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