Beneficence

A Novel

By: Meredith Hall

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Rachel Jacobs, Tom Taylorson

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

A family’s only hope to heal their shattered lives is that love is stronger than grief.

When they meet in the 1930s, Doris and Tup’s love is immediate. They marry quickly and Doris commits to the only life Tup ever wanted: working the Senter family farm, where his parents and grandparents and great-grandparents are buried under the old pines. Their lives follow the calming rhythms of the land - chores in the cow barn, haying the fields, tending their gardens - and in this they find immeasurable joy.

Soon their first child, Sonny, is born and Doris and Tup understand they are blessed. More children arrive - precocious, large-hearted Dodie and quiet, devoted Beston - but Doris and Tup take nothing for granted. They are grateful every day for the grace of their deep bonds to each other, to their family, and to their bountiful land. As they hold fast to this contentment, Doris is uneasy, and confesses, “We can’t ever know what will come.”

When an unimaginable tragedy turns the family of five into a family of four, everything the Senters held faith in is shattered. The family is consumed by a dark shadow of grief and guilt. Slowly, the surviving Senters must find their way to forgiveness - of themselves and of each other.

©2020 by Meredith Hall (P)2020 by Blackstone Publishing

I didn’t just read this book. I joined this amazing family.

This is a remarkable book about a somewhat unremarkable, family. The author sculpts each character with many dimensions and many layers. You don’t just feel like you know them you feel like you are them. There is not a huge plot line, not a lot of conflict, but there is a great deal of intimacy and love. The reader though does not feel like a voyeur, but rather a participant in the family connections. One of the best of the decade.

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Loved it! Quite heavy, but with mercy and beauty of life. Beautifully red also. Serendipity.

Not enjoyable or meaningful

I listened to this book in its entirety. I think I expected some revelation to make it all worthwhile that never came. The children were lovely characters. But despite relating to the enormous sorrow of losing their son, I simply could not like or understand the parents.

amazing family story

loved this story. it really pulled me in and kept me there. such feelings of love and despair. I hated it to end.

Good story.

It was a good story overall. A bit slow and depressing at times. An accurate description for the era I assume.

Fabulous!

A highly satisfying listening experience. These characters and their family stories will stay with me.

Brilliant! The best crafted story I've ever read.

The story bobs and weaves around its family. Excellent narration. A must read that will pull you in, twist you up, make you laugh and smile, and bring tears to your eyes. Absolutely brilliant.

Life is a four letter word

Here is a book that unfolds like a Fairytale.
I was reminded early on of my mom’s wisdom, at age 98,”If it sounds too good to be true it probably is”...
The harsh realities of the vicissitudes of life come to this perfect family, as they come eventually to all of us: how we cope, or don’t, or can’t, become evident in Beneficent.
Life is a four letter word and Meredith Hall eloquently expound on one farm families’life, losses, & redemption through perseverance, through tolerating one another’s foibles and imperfections and their strategies of coping with loss.💞💞💞💞💞

Do not read the about section.

I don’t usually read the about section because I feel at times it gives the story away. I will listen to a sample of a book and read some reviews (not the spoilers). Then I’ll decide if I will listen. I found this book because I absolutely love Tom Taylorson’s & Cassandra Campbell’s voice.
This isn’t my normal genre of preference but decided to give it a try and it did NOT disappoint at all.
I am speechless and that takes a lot to do. This book is incredible. I will never look at life the same. This book will stay with me through my journey of motherhood. I truly wish we all could go back to a more simpler of time.
I can not believe this book didn’t need a credit to be used. I look forward to additional books from Meredith Hall. I’m sad to see there’s only one additional book available from her.
Highly recommend but remember do not read the about section. It gives the book away.

5 stars

I love this story. It's raw, realistic and relatable. I'm partial to historical fiction and the rural setting of the novel. the characters are all well developed and easy to identify with. looking forward to more from this author.