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Cuckoo Song

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Cuckoo Song

By: Frances Hardinge
Narrated by: Katherine Press
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About this listen

Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge, the Costa Award-winning author of The Lie Tree, is a fantastically eerie and beautifully written novel, and was shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal.

The first things to shift were the doll's eyes, the beautiful grey-green glass eyes. Slowly they swivelled, until their gaze was resting on Triss's face. Then the tiny mouth moved, opened to speak.

'What are you doing here?' It was uttered in tones of outrage and surprise, and in a voice as cold and musical as the clinking of cups. 'Who do you think you are? This is my family.'

When Triss wakes up after an accident, she knows that something is very wrong. She is insatiably hungry; her sister seems scared of her and her parents whisper behind closed doors. She looks through her diary to try to remember, but the pages have been ripped out.

Soon Triss discovers that what happened to her is more strange and terrible than she could ever have imagined, and that she is quite literally not herself. In a quest to find the truth she must travel into the terrifying Underbelly of the city to meet a twisted architect who has dark designs on her family – before it's too late . . .

'Everyone should read Frances Hardinge. Everyone. Right now' - Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls.

Historical Fiction Horror Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Scary

Critic reviews

A deliciously sinister read full of mayhem and menace. Frances Hardinge is a very powerful and poetic writer – weaving a very dark and magical tale to entrance and enthral her readers.
An enticing mystery from the first page . . . The story, full of tension and danger, explores grief, revenge and forgiveness as well as misguided parenting and sibling rivalry.
All stars
Most relevant
My favourite story & definitely a treat to listen to on Audible. So imaginative & beautifully descriptive. Fairytale poetic & enchantingly captivating!

Favourite Reread

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Loved this book. I suppose it’s older children/ YA fiction, but listening as an adult I found it magical, eerie and, moving. Great characters, really well narrated and it kept me interested all the way along, nothing was formulaic.

Wonderful, eerie, beautifully written tale

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My favourite book by my new favourite author. Sublime, unsettling, and inspiring all at once.

A gorgeous nightmare

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The story is intriguing and builds beautifully bringing you along to care for the characters. Another good read from this author!

Another great standalone story

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