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The Secret Scripture

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The Secret Scripture

By: Sebastian Barry
Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
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About this listen

A SUNDAY TIMES TOP 100 NOVEL OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2008

Nearing her one-hundredth birthday, Roseanne McNulty faces an uncertain future, as the Roscommon Regional Mental hospital where she's spent the best part of her adult life prepares for closure. Over the weeks leading up to this upheaval, she talks often with her psychiatrist Dr Grene, and their relationship intensifies and complicates. Told through their respective journals, the story that emerges is at once shocking and deeply beautiful. Refracted through the haze of memory and retelling, Roseanne's story becomes an alternative, secret history of Ireland's changing character and the story of a life blighted by terrible mistreatment and ignorance, and yet marked still by love and passion and hope.

©2023 Faber & Faber (P)2023 Faber & Faber
Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant
Excellent narration befitting such a beautiful story. Loved every moment., and the unexpected reveal at the end. Just brilliant

Truly wonderful story

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The ending was awful. The whole book led up to a moment of resolution that would have left the central character vindicated after the terrible suffering she experienced but we were never given the satisfaction of seeing her moment of redemption.

Good story, terribly inadequate, psychologically weak ending

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Beautiful unfolding of the story of connected lives woven with modern Irish history. Thoroughly enjoyed the production overall.

Wonderful story telling

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A very surprising and, for me, unexpected twist at the end. Incredible tale, well told. A tale of a time and place unfamiliar to me but now one I feel I know intimately. Heartbreaking and wonderful.

Sad but wonderful

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Very absorbing story beautifully narrated. The characters really came to life and the ending rounded the whole thing off very well.

Fantastic narration

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