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The Fever Tree

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The Fever Tree

By: Jennifer McVeigh
Narrated by: Harriet Kershaw
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About this listen

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.

©2012 Jennifer McVeigh (P)2012 Audible Ltd Fiction Historical Fiction Africa

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Critic reviews

“ The Fever Tree is a skilled unfolding of a woman's struggle with desire, class divide and disease in 19th Century South Africa... the journey, like the landscape, is thrillingly huge: one of love, self-knowledge, human and political self-respect. Frances treads out every step - a naive and intriguing character who brings alive a momentous - and appalling - part of history.” ( Financial Times)
"There is nothing more exciting than a new writer with a genuine voice. I loved it." (Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey)
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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.

Excellent and Gripping Story, a poor narrator.

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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.

Un-put-down-able,loved it.

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After absolutely loving Jennifer McVeigh's book 'Leopard at the Door', I couldn't wait to listen to 'The Fever Tree'. This is also an interesting story of a young lady, Francis , whose father has died and who is threatened with going to live with her aunt - and her children - in Manchester. She decides instead to marry her cousin, a doctor, and go with him to the diamond - mining region of South Africa. Francis's genteel Victorian upbringing obviously causes her, and her husband, myriad problems in their new home but I found it hard to believe that her naivete persisted for almost the complete novel, despite the numerous hardships she encounters along the way. While the narrator did a good job of most of the characters, some of them were a little wooden and Frances's spoilt and petulant voice became quite irritating after a while. Saying that, the descriptions of the way that natives were treated in the diamond mines and the corruption that was rife amongst the British owners was quite illuminating and made me a little ashamed to be British!

An interesting tale but unbelievable in parts

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I was sceptical about this book. I liked the sound of the blurb, seemed like the kind of book I would normally enjoy with some historical content, travel and interesting women but the reviews got me worried. However, the book was quick to get into, enjoyed the characters and interesting back drop of Victorian South Africa. Understand what people mean about the story not being as strong as perhaps it could have been however, overall, a really enjoyable easy listen.

Enjoyable read

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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.

Doesn’t pull its punches

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