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The Wheelwright's Daughter
- Narrated by: Katherine Press
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
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The Wheelwright's Daughter
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Summary
Can she save herself from a witch's fate?
Martha is a feisty and articulate young woman, the daughter of a wheelwright, living in a Herefordshire village in Elizabethan England. With no mother Martha's life is spent running her father's meagre household and helping out at the local school whilst longing to escape the confines and small-mindedness of a community driven by religious bigotry and poverty.
As she is able to read and is well-versed in herbal remedies she is suspected of being a witch. When a landslip occurs - opening up a huge chasm in the centre of the village - she is blamed for it and pursued remorselessly by the villagers.
**But can her own wits and the love of local stablehand Jacob save her from a witch's persecution and death...
A brilliant and accomplished novel that perfectly captures the febrile atmosphere of Elizabethan village life in an age when suspicion and superstition were rife. Perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier.
Critic reviews
"It's a gripping story and such accomplished writing. I really enjoyed every moment of working on it." (Yvonne Holland, editor of Philippa Gregory and Tracy Chevalier)
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What listeners say about The Wheelwright's Daughter
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 18-09-21
A powerful evocation of life as an outsider
Rooted in the strange red-clay ridged landscape of this particular corner of Herefordshire and woven around an actual geological event, the Wheelwright's Daughter is both a disturbing and sometimes heartening exploration of the best and worst of human nature.
In times of tumult peoples' minds grasp for meaning. All the more so in that time when the transition to scientific rationality was at its beginning. Superstition looks for outsiders to blame and Martha is an outsider in so many ways. Gripping, moving and beautiful.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Reggy A
- 25-11-21
So annoyed by the ending
On the whole I enjoyed this book. I haven't come across many books that show just how easily lives were destroyed by the accusation of witchcraft and the cruelty, unfairness and manipulation that was used to rid people of someone they disliked. I was utterly absorbed. But when I got to the end, it was as if the author ran out of time to finish it. I was very disappointed by the ending, which is why I couldn't give it 5 stars.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tony Peckham
- 25-07-22
Historical novel at its best
I’ve always liked historical novels but for many years now I’ve stuck with modern thrillers.
But, this is a brilliant weaving of history associated with many true facts from part of the country where I live. The author has woven together those facts with all the superstitions and class barriers that abounded at that time, and some touching romance.
At the end of the book we are left with either having to assume the final fate of our heroine or, I understand, there is a second book which perhaps holds the answer.
I will have to buy it!! Even if it doesn’t provide the answer, if it’s written as brilliantly as this one then it will be worth it.
The narrator is brilliant. She captures the accents with aplomb and usually I find with all narrators the reading of the opposite gender to themselves is sometimes difficult to accept but she has it to a tee.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-04-22
Really hard work!
I found this tale of woe and misery extremely hard work to listen to and understand. The beginning chapters took so long to get going and we’re such a diatribe of sadness and grief and anxiety that I gave up and listened to another book.
Returning to give the story a second chance, I upped the speed to try to get through to the crux of the novel. The reader’s voice is repetitive and lacks intonation so that almost every sentence rises and falls to such a monotone I found myself having to rewind and listen again to many passages.
I won’t give the end away, but like another reviewer I found it is unsatisfactory and somewhat sudden.
Yes, it paints a picture of the rank and dismal life of the time, and the surly women of the tale along with the evil Father Paul are hateful; but it’s not enough to make me recommend this book.
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