Forgotten Women

By: Freda Lightfoot

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

It is 1936 and Spain is on the brink of civil war. Across Europe, young men are enlisting in the International Brigade to free their Spanish brethren from the grip of fascism, leaving sisters and lovers at home.

But not all women are content to be left behind. In Britain, Charlotte McBain and Libby Forbes, friends from opposite sides of the class divide, are determined to do what they can; in Spain, Rosita García Díaz, fiercely loyal to her family and country, cannot stand by and watch. Three brave women, inspired by patriotism, idealism, love and even revenge, dare to go into battle against tradition and oppression.

Tying them all together is Jo, Libby's granddaughter. Five decades later she travels to Spain hoping to make sense of a troubling letter hidden among her grandmother's possessions. What she learns will change all of their lives forever.

Deceit, heartbreak and a longstanding fear of reprisals must all be overcome if the deeds of the forgotten women are to be properly honoured.

©2016 Freda Lightfoot (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Well Worth the Time....

What did you love best about Forgotten Women?

The way the character's stories were intertwined with the historical events and the cultural and social mores of the time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Forgotten Women?

I don't want to give any spoilers but overall it was very engaging and the weaving of the character's lives and the historical context was excellent. Any lover of good historical novels should consider this one. Many of today's popular books are oriented toward simple, heated relationships and lack the depth and context that this book offers. As noted by some other reviewers, this story started slowly and did drag a bit at places but was well worth the time, as it had depth and told a poignant story in the character's lives as well as the larger historical picture.

What didn’t you like about Anne Flosnik’s performance?

Like several of the British audio book performer's, Ms Flosnik uses a soft, "breathy" voice. I much prefer that performers project so that there is more clarity of sound. In addition, Ms Flosnik emphasizes the last syllable or consonant of many words which is very distracting. I will avoid her performances in the future. Had I listened to the sample I probably would not have chosen this book as I remember being distracted and irritated by Ms Flosnik's voice in another performance. Of course, I could have switched to the book and read instead of listening but I would have had to set the book down to do other things and I was compelled to stick with this story. The performers of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society are good examples of British performers who can project well while staying true to the characters and allowing us to enjoy their beautiful accents.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, I did not laugh or cry but I was engaged, often moved by the story, and also compelled to look for other books written about this era.

Any additional comments?

I am delighted that this book was offered as a Kindle Unlimited "read and listen." I recommend it and also think it would make a very good movie.

Powerful story

Loved the storyline and characters. Listening to the book brings another dimension to "reading". Through my enjoyed it.

Amazing Strength

This was a wonderful story of woman and how amazingly strong they were. Really enjoyed this book.

loved it

I got really involved with the characters' lives. this was a part of history that I'd never heard before. It was worth reading!

Decent Story... Horrible Accent

What disappointed you about Forgotten Women?

The narrator's awful Spanish accent. It is actually distracting from the story. I found myself shouting how the words should be pronounced.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The Spanish accent was horrible

Couldn't Finish

Would you try another book from Freda Lightfoot and/or Anne Flosnik?

I would NOT listen to another book narrated by Anne Flosnik. She narrated so horribly that I couldn't even continue to listen after the chapter. It was written poorly. I find it very hard to believe that a woman in prison who is tortured and raped regularly has paper on which to write to send a letter to her lover. I also find it very hard to believe she would describe the atrocities done in the prison.

Has Forgotten Women turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not in the genre.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator read as though she were reporting the story in the news. She didn't put feeling into it.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not enough within the first chapter to keep me listening.

Any additional comments?

A bad narrator can ruin a perfectly good book. This has happened far too often on audible for my liking.