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The Fever Tree
- Narrated by: Harriet Kershaw
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
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Summary
Selected for The Richard and Judy Book Club 2013
A compelling portrait of colonial South Africa as well as the life of women near the turn of the century.
South Africa, 1880 - a country torn apart by greed. Frances Irvine, destitute in the wake of her father's sudden death, is forced to abandon her life of wealth and privilege in London and emigrate to the Cape. In this remote and inhospitable land, she becomes entangled with two very different men: one driven by ambition, the other by his ideals.
Only when the rumour of a smallpox epidemic takes her into the dark heart of the diamond mines does Frances see her path to happiness. But this is a ruthless world of greed and exploitation, where the spoils of the rich come at a terrible human cost, and powerful men will go to any lengths to keep the mines in operation.
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- Maggie Kiely
- 14-07-13
A darker/hidden Victorian England/African Diamonds
I enjoyed this book and although others disliked I enjoyed the narration.
Life as a woman in Victorian England was very restricted and they were governed by men as in this story Frances's male relatives. Thus choices made as a result were not ones freedom of choice would have brought. Having said that I think the character of Frances is such that she would not have moved and subsequently developed as a person had they not been so.
The journey starts in England and moves to South Africa and to the reality of what life was like for the diamond miners at the time.
I found the story interesting and also to see Frances change and develop. The two men in her life are very different characters and I enjoyed getting to know both.
The book is about choices Frances made some not so wholesome and some more so. I enjoyed reading about the Smallpox epidemic and looked up Smallpox as a result learning alot.
I enjoyed the book overall and if you wish a historically interesting read I would recommend it.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Avril Lamb
- 29-03-13
Excellent and Gripping Story, a poor narrator.
The story is very gripping, but the narrator gabbles too fast all the way through. There is no light or shade in her narration. Her attempts at South African / Afrikaans dutch accents is excruciatingly awful, nor can she pronounce South African name places or words. Shame that the narrator lets this excellent book down.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Katy
- 20-09-13
Frustrating Heroine
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
Listening was an act of perseverance. I kept waiting for the heroine to get her act together. Nearly gave up several times.
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
The locations were beautifully described, but the main character was incredibly frustrating and so difficult to like. She took far too long to get her act together.
If this book were a film would you go see it?
Yes I would go to see it.
Any additional comments?
Somehow, aside from wanting to shake the main character, I am drawn to this book and will probably listen again. And moan again.
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2 people found this helpful
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- sue
- 06-05-13
One of my top 10 excellent
What a fantastic book. It grabbed my full attention from the beginning and then I could not wait to hear the whole story.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Lindsey
- 24-02-13
Good tale, well narrated
I tend to prefer a male narrator but have to say that Haariet Kershaw does an excellent job with this story. The story itself is not unique, but the setting in South Africa with some of the historical details and descriptions of the hardship endured by all but the most wealthy was interesting. The main character is a little frustrating .. you sometimes feel she has reaped what she has sowed, but all in all well worth a listen.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Caecilia
- 31-12-12
The Fever Tree
Excellent audible read, very clear reader and a very enjoyable book. This was recommended by a friend who read it on her kindle, but I was very happy to have it via audible. Thank you
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2 people found this helpful
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- Jackie
- 02-05-13
Un-put-down-able,loved it.
A really good read,didn't want it to end. The story is enthraling as it was difficult to guess how it would all pan out & I learnt a few historic things as well. This is such a good book,I can't recommend it enough.
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1 person found this helpful
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- pangolin444
- 07-08-23
Doesn’t pull its punches
A story that ranges from the sophisticated drawing rooms of 1880s London to the squalor of the diamond mining camps of South Africa. The flame haired heroine is on a journey to discover her true nature and destiny, and which of two contrasting men she will spend her life with. Keeps you guessing to the end.
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- PerfectStorm
- 14-07-20
Terrible cliched nonsense
I had to read this book for my book club, when the theme was books set in exotic locations. Well, it went down like a lead ballon with both the other ladies and I. Poorly written and full of cliches, it was an imperialist, colonialist view of South Africa as it was in the 19th Century, written by someone who had maybe only visited it for a brief holiday, but thought they could write with authority on the people, the history, the land and racial politics. Reader, they could not. I think this is supposed to be love story, but none of us had any love for the characters or the book. Stay well clear.
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- Helen
- 27-09-18
Annoying book
Well written but completely frustrating book. The "heroine" being so completely dim witted all the way through made it very hard to believe.
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