The Western Wind

By: Samantha Harvey

Narrated by: Nyasha Hatendi

Fifteenth-century Oakham, in Somerset; a tiny village cut off by a big river with no bridge. When a man is swept away by the river in the early hours of Shrove Saturday, an explanation has to be found: accident, suicide or murder? The village priest, John Reve, is privy to many secrets in his role as confessor. But will he be able to unravel what happened to the victim, Thomas Newman, the wealthiest, most capable and industrious man in the village? And what will happen if he can't?

Moving back in time toward the moment of Thomas Newman's death, the story is related by Reve - an extraordinary creation, a patient shepherd to his wayward flock, and a man with secrets of his own to keep. Through his eyes, and his indelible voice, Harvey creates a medieval world entirely tangible in its immediacy.

©2018 Samantha Harvey (P)2018 Recorded Books

fantastic

The narration was spot on and the story was haunting and wonderful. I loved the writing style and the way the plot unfolded. I would read more from this author and listen to more from this narrator.

Genuine medieval characters, modern storytelling

Applies modern experimental fiction technique to genuine-feeling characters from the 1500s. Unfolds like a movie, with scenes in reverse order (eg. Memento) and, at the same time, seeks to inhabit the mind of its main character, who is like us and unlike us in interesting ways. The mystery investigation plot gives the narrative muscle and keeps things moving. The characters outside of the main character are also terrific, and drawn from people up and down the great chain of being. Loved it. Very well read too!

Beautifully written

I loved this story and now I want to read more by this author. Haunting, clever, unexpected.

Perfectly plotted back to front

Fascinating story of a man's death and the effect it has on a small community in late 15th century England. Interesting characters with deep psychological insights.

A long boring slog

When I started listening to this book, I was quite interested and thought it was going to be a tale of life in the Middle Ages and it did start out that way. But then the random babbling started and I could not fit it into anything that had meaning. The narrator was its saving grace- he was really good and my Bose noise-reducing ear buds helped him along.

Repetitive and Boring

It started out great but then regressed into retelling the story over and over. I didn’t get it.

Slow, slow, slow

I was misled into reading this book because of its favorable reviews. I did not enjoy it. The principal character is always fretting over what should be done, did he do the right thing? There is no action in the book and I'm not sure it really resolves itself. That said if you like to read in that period and don't mind a lot of soul searching - go ahead, read it.

Nope

How this was recommended as similar the h mantle I’ll never know. I struggled to the end