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The Mercies
- Narrated by: Jessie Buckley
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
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The Mercies
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Summary
The bestselling Richard and Judy Book Club pick and BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick.
For readers of Circe and The Handmaid’s Tale, Kiran Millwood Hargrave's The Mercies is inspired by real historical events – a story about the strength and courage of women.
‘Dark, dramatic and full of danger’ - Daily Mail
The storm comes in like a finger snap . . .
1617. The sea around the remote Norwegian island of Vardø is thrown into a vicious storm. A young woman, Maren, watches as the men of the island, out fishing, perish in an instant.
Vardø is now a place of women . . .
Eighteen months later, a sinister figure arrives. Absalom Cornet has been summoned to bring the women of the island to heel. With him travels his young wife, Ursa. In her new home, and in Maren, Ursa encounters something she has never seen before: independent women. But where Ursa finds happiness, even love, Absalom sees only a place flooded with a terrible evil, one he must root out at all costs . . .
A story about how suspicion can twist its way through a community, about a love that could prove as dangerous as it is powerful.
‘Gripping’ - Madeline Miller, author of Circe
‘Took my breath away’ - Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With a Pearl Earring
‘A beautifully intimate story of friendship, love and hope’ - Douglas Stuart, author of Shuggie Bain
‘Something rare and beautiful’ - Marian Keyes, author of Again, Rachel
‘Chilling and page-turning’ - The Times
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Featured article: Witches in fiction: 12 historical fiction books to listen to this Halloween
Throughout history, women have been branded as witches by people scared of their power, confidence and independence. In days past, accusations of being a witch – thrown at women for everything from being talented at working with herbs to being in the vicinity of a death – could result in banishment or even death. These 12 audiobooks, perfect for the longer nights, colder weather and the Halloween season, tell the stories of women through history, from goddesses to regular women, through a mix of horror, fantasy and historical fiction.
What listeners say about The Mercies
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mike Watson
- 07-01-21
Wow.
This book continues a tradition that dictates I am yet to meet a Kiran Millwood-Hargrave book I haven’t liked.
This is the second novel for adults by her I have read and I thought The Deathless Girls was tremendous.
However, this is very much a deviation from my usual genre of reading; historical fiction isn’t something I would usually choose, but I am glad I did.
A slow start, that left a little confused and uncertain was followed by a development of characters that it becomes impossible not to connect with - their rollercoaster of relationships, passions, fears, nightmares and forbidden love as wonderfully expressed, never being gratuitous nor underplayed - in short, it is written exquisitely.
100% recommended.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rufus Barber
- 31-10-23
Atmospheric and beautifully written
Loved the performance of the reader. I really enjoyed her voice and thought it was very fitting for the story.
I really enjoyed the book and found myself more and more invested as time went on. Great characterisation and I felt very enveloped in the setting of the story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Hilara
- 17-04-20
enjoyed it
It was a great book. I would recommend it. Enjoyable and capturing read. Quite a slow recording though I listened at the increasing speed.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 14-07-22
Immersed in the characters and story!
I was sucked into the characters, the town, the story. Performed wonderfully and it was so enchanting I finished it in two days (which is very quick for me).
I had read similar books from this period and place and this one far surpassed in its readability and insight into the people living in the town and the day to day culture.
Superb.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Hannah
- 15-07-23
Stunning
An incredible book - so well written and performed. It will definitely stay with me for a long time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 14-11-23
Wonderful
Chosen by my book club and not a book I would lean towards by choice, but wow, what a book. Beautifully written and such carefully crafted chapters. Audible makes it even more enjoyable and gives the story a raw edge of how life was so incredibly hard and cruel all those years ago. Highly recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Iona
- 15-02-20
Mesmerizing
The tale is beautifully told. The narrator masters the Norwegian prononciation of place names and characters which is crucial.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Kym Barlow
- 16-08-20
Wicked Witches were invented by frightened men
A compelling story and an uncomfortable one.
A story that takes us back to the Burning Times; when many thousands of women (and fewer men) were burned at the stake after suffering torture because of the over-inflated self-importance and arrogance of some men and because of religion which also assumed superiority over the indigenous beliefs. How many deeds of evil were enacted and continue to happen in the name of a 'benevolent and loving' God.
The women in this story are strong and capable, enduring the hardships of life on an island in the arctic and, following the legendary storm which took their menfolk, fending for themselves and staying alive.
The men are despicable and sadistic, indulging in marital rape and taking sadistic, almost sexual pleasure in the torture and murder of women who they assume are inferior to them despite evidence to the contrary, or who are weak and ineffectual in not standing up to those perceived to hold more power and the sanction of the state, such as the spineless minister who far from protecting his flock, stood by and did nothing. The arrogance and assumed superiority and attitude of entitlement of the white men in this story are astounding but not surprising as we still see evidence of this attitude today.
Racial supremacy of the white man (as ever) also plays a role in this tale, paradoxically portraying them as superior to the Laps as well as the women, despite their ignorance on many matters which would help them survive.
This review is not intended to put you off this book, it's a powerful story and yes, it is uncomfortable at times, the execution scene had me in tears for the character and for the real women who shared her fate in this country and abroad.
An education and well worth reading or listening to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mrs N
- 06-09-22
Loved this,
Just brilliant and evocative, beautifully written and read, stunning! Highly recommend this as a work of art in writing
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- Lauren Hicks
- 10-07-21
a Modern Classic
Highly recommend. Based on historical events. Truly brilliant. Both enlightening & relevant in regards to society throughout the ages.
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