An Ignorance of Means

By: Jennifer Oakley Denslow

Narrated by: Elisabeth Lagelee

In 18th century France, women had few choices and little chance to shape their destiny.

Within these limits, Catherine Drummond dreams of a marriage as supportive and tender as that of her parents. But on her wedding night, her new husband relates his own vision.

Catherine’s desire for sweet domesticity is crushed when Robert Picard reveals himself to be a man of his time, and assumes he will have the freedom to cavort without censure among the pantheon of women he has always kept.

She is trapped in the gilded cage of the chateau Lac d’Or.

Catherine attempts to escape, only to be cast into a fresh hell from which release means being sent on a treacherous journey she could never imagine.

©2019 Jennifer Denslow (P)2021 Jennifer Denslow

Not your Typical Romance

First off let me start by saying that this book does involve domestic violence so be prepared for triggers. Catherine is a great character and I feel that several people can identify with her. You can not help but to feel for Catherine and her struggle to accept her new place in this new marriage but she quickly learns that all is not what she hoped for - a marriage of love much like her parents. In addition to being a wonderful historical romance, the narration by Elizabeth Lagelee is beautifully done to the point that you can really feel as if you are each character. Truly a great story especially if you are partial to historical reads or audiobooks.

An unexpected tale of determination

This tale is set in 18th century France. During this time women’s rights were to do their domestic duty and take care of any family and the husband was the one who was out in the public eye. A wife was committed to the husband and all of his interests. All Catherine Drummond could think about was marrying a kind man and having a family. She thought she found that kind of man in Robert Picard. Robert was an importer who brought goods to her dad’s shop. He would flirt with her and then court her before asking her to marry him. Catherine thought she knew her soon to be husband. But as soon as they became man and wife, Catherine’s ideal life started forming cracks. Robert fully expected Catherine to turn a blind eye when it came to his numerous other women. The author gets in deep with violence against women and the customary domestic abuse of this era. What I found astonishing was the limited resources of that time period. But Catherine never gives up and with faith, hope and a lot of determination she tries to get herself out of this mess. This is a sad and painful tale but also an unpredictable exciting story with historical context. I enjoyed listening about the boat journey and the meeting of the alligator, the monstrous reptile.
I thought author Jennifer Denslow has a very keen attention to detail. The way she described the French countryside and the women’s fashion was perfect. The building of Catherine’s character was quite unique. From timid and shy to confident and strong. A very believable tale. I like the little turns and plot twists of the story. I undeniably LOVED the narrator Elisabeth Lagelee. I had never heard her before. With a slight French accent she created very distinct voices to these characters that brought them to life. They were expressive and inspiring. I recommend this book to those who like a story with historical context. I also think that because the author devotes some time to domestic violence. This tale is for a more mature group.

Good book for the right person

Ignorance of Means is a story of a young woman, Catherine Drummond, who is married off to a man who turns out to be the exact opposite of what she expected. Hoping to marry into a loving relationship like her parents, she instead finds a harsh and loveless man who wants nothing to do with her other than to sire a child. After several bouts of abuse (*trigger) at the hands of her husband's handler, the young woman devises a plan to escape with the only friend she has, her maid. Determined to get back to her mother and father, Catherine escapes, but not without complications. Over and over again Catherine is faced with obsticals and survives, almsot out of luck, not necessarily out of resilience. Eventually she makes it to a safe place and decides to start a new life there. Although this book wasn't for me, doesn't mean it isn't the perfect book for you! A fictionaol account of what many women through in the 18th century, Ignorace of Means is the perfect book for anyone who loves historical reads. One of the biggest problems I had was was the narrator. Although she did a nice job making use of her French, for me it was hard to listen to and detracted from the story.

Absolutely engaging!

The words are engaging and the narration is wonderful! I was lucky enough to get this book just prior to starting a longer work commute - lucky me! I was able to make a normally terrible 1 hour drive much better.
My emotions were all over the place with the characters - from the allure of their wedding night to the realization that not everything is as it seems in this whole new world for our main character. Who can she trust? The servants? The guard made of pure muscle? Or the extravagant dress maker hired for her first big event as woman of the house.
I really enjoyed this book and told my co-worker about it who likes to listen to audiobooks on her walks.
Definitely a good one!

Tale as Old as Time

What a story! I cannot express how much this book, though fictional, strikes a blow at the harsh reality for women during the 18th Century. I can’t imagine being accepted for a marriage that was approved by my parents, only to find out the truth of the matter after the fact. This is a powerful tale for anyone who studies women’s history or even love reading factual novels regarding the past. I personally feel for Catherine in this story. She is a character that you will be so connected to that you’ll feel her emotions as you read. The narrator did a phenomenal job at portraying each character and their demeanor. This was a quick story to listen to and one that can actually teach young women of today some valuable life skills/lessons. This book reminds me of The Giver in the way Catherine’s betrothed decided to utilize his wife for his own ploy. I can’t wait to hear/read more from this author!

Compelling Tale of Resilience

Trigger warning for domestic abuse. A lesson in women's history lies within the pages of this historical fiction. The trials and tribulations of women are tough to imagine, but easy to listen to in Jennifer Oakley Denslow's story. Catherine's journey is not one of happiness and humor but of hardship and hope. I was compelled to keep listening to see if Catherine found light after so much darkness. It becomes clear, less than a day after their marriage ceremony, that Robert is not the ideal husband she and her parents had hoped for, The pearls breaking in the opening lines serves as an ominous foreshadowing of events to come. Catherine must accept the brutal reality of her situation. She is an intriguing heroine, and it is easy to connect with her and root for her. She is a reflection of perseverance and optimism, and the evolution of her character is written well from soft-spoken and naïve to strong and capable. I found the story unpredictable in its plot twists and Denslow's attention to detail thorough. Her language is rich, descriptions are beautiful, and Elizabeth Lagelee's narration of them is perfection. Lagelee's use of a French accent keeps the listener engulfed in Denslow's setting. Her portrayal of the various characters is wonderful, and serves as one more reason I found the characters captivating. Overall, I would recommend this audiobook for it's gorgeous writing, superb character development, and historical context.

Not At All What I Was Expecting

Jennifer Oakley Denslow crafted such a fun read in "An Ignorance of Means." It turned out so differently from what I was expecting when I started listening. Catherine Drummond takes quite the adventure from being the only daughter of a ship captain to wife to ending up in New France.

I initially thought it would be a basic love story, but found myself really rooting for a strong woman. This book did a great job of painting what life might have been like in the 16th century for women marrying into the upper class. My husband and I had a talk about it, and are both so glad we weren't around then trying to figure out how to better our situation.

Living in Virginia I know quite a bit about English settlers in America, but "An Ignorance of Means" has me wanting to look for more information about the early settlers in Louisiana. I love when books make me interested in something new, and I can't wait to read whatever else Denslow writes.

Great read

This was a great audiobook! A young French woman weds, eager for a happy marriage, only to find out her husband isn’t anything like she expected. She is seen merely as a possession and when she can’t fulfill the role he has intended for her, she is cast out in an awful fashion. As she tries to return to her family She is betrayed over and over, but is still determined to find people to trust in hope that they help her. This audiobook went by so quickly and I really enjoyed the story.

Enthralled

I have a newfound respect for women during the 18th century. Women's rights were not a thing, and they were meant to be married off and settled into their domestic duties. Catharine is a woman whose story wasn't all that uncommon during those times. Having entered a marriage that was approved by her parents, she had a certain amount of expectations. Whereas the wedding night started a new beginning that she felt would continue its lovely and romantic nature, it does not. Instead, her husband shows his true self and his end goal - father an heir to continue the family lineage. As the truth of her husband's dastardly ways comes to light, she's determined to find a way out of her damaging marriage. It's with determination and strength that she sets out to achieve her end goal: freedom and independence. Overall, this is a wonderful read about a woman learning to break free and going from being the victim to a survivor. I loved the exceptional points of detail the author shared throughout. The narrator's ability to evoke the emotion needed for Catherine was well done. Bravo!

What can a woman do?

Catherine Drummond is so excited to start her life as a married woman; expecting her's to be just like her parents - full of love. She finds out that life is not always as it is planned.

Elisabeth Lagelee narrates this story in her melodic voice bringing it to life. Her performance will keep the reader riveted and you will not want to stop listening to this story.

Jennifer Oakley Denslow has written an engaging story full of so many events that I just could not stop listening. She brought Catherine and her plight to life via this audio book and I had to find out how it ended. Denslow weaved enough truth of the time period in with her narrative to make the reader wonder...did this really happen? If you are looking for a historical women's fiction - definitely listen to this book!