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The Wilding

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About this listen

It is 1672, a generation after the English Civil War, and England is still struggling to return to normal after the bloody conflict.

In the village of Spadboro, Jonathon Dymond, a cider maker who lives with his parents, has enjoyed a quiet and harmonious life.

But the death of his uncle leads Jonathon to secrets which have lain dormant since the war. When Jonathon discovers his dying uncle's letter to his father, hinting at inheritance and revenge, Jonathon becomes determined to unravel the mystery in his family.

©2010 Maria McCann (P)2010 Oakhill Publishing Ltd Historical Fiction Fiction War

Critic reviews

"McCann traps us in her web of gradual revelation...an intensely enjoyable experience." (Guardian Review)
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I have recently read Wolf Hall and hoped for a similarly rewarding experience. I didn't find the plot and characters of The Wilding fully convincing. Although some of the content is clearly aimed at adults, the tone and style reminded me of fiction pitched for younger readers. I found the recurring dream device a bit week, but I did keep on to the end to see how the mystery would resolve . The central character is rather lightweight and I found some others two dimensional .
The descriptions of cider making were interesting and full of colourful language and there were other well described domestic details.
I'm not sure if the narration contributed to my lack of engagement with the characters. I think he was
doing his best.

I little unconvincing.

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Felt like walking around in post civil war England. Some readers would feel the story is slow to get going but I felt this built the naivety of the main character brilliantly.

Beautifully drawn historical fiction

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