Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
A Severe Mercy  By  cover art

A Severe Mercy

By: Sheldon Vanauken
Narrated by: Peter Chanice
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $22.49

Buy for $22.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Beloved, profoundly moving account of the author's marriage, the couple's search for faith and friendship with C. S. Lewis, and a spiritual strength that sustained Vanauken after his wife's untimely death.

©1980 Sheldon Vanauken (P)2014 HarperCollinsPublishers

What listeners say about A Severe Mercy

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    481
  • 4 Stars
    76
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    365
  • 4 Stars
    106
  • 3 Stars
    42
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    437
  • 4 Stars
    68
  • 3 Stars
    19
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

Best book I've read on love and loss and God's mysterious provision through it all.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

the most incredible love story you will ever read

this is one of the most beautiful love stories you will ever come across, in more ways than one. The narrator was wonderful and really reminded me of what I imagine the author sounding like. I loved this book and was so sad that it was over. I even drug out the last 45 minutes over a few days because I didn't want it to end. Amazing book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Beautiful Book

This is a book I will surely read many times. Beautiful writing, beautiful thoughts to ponder, and a beautiful love story. Inspiring in a literary sense as well as a spiritual sense. Everyone should read it who appreciates good literature. The audio version is very well done. Reader has a soothing voice.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A heart wrenching story of eternal love

I loves the descriptive detail of the author. The story conveys earthly and heavenly love as Van tracks upon a relationship with his true love.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb narration makes for a fascinating Book

What an interesting book. The narration was superb and made the characters come alive. Amazing insights of one man's journey through profound love, developing faith as he handles his beloved wife's illness and subsequent death.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A beautiful book

This book will stay with me for a long time. This is an unhurried read, one you will want to take in slowly.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Need a new voice reader

Book was excellent. Reader too staccato. I wish a more legato reader was used. Other than that, so thoughtful toward the end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful story of love, loss, and getting through

The writing is beautiful and poetic much of the time. It speaks to a time not that long ago when people chose words with power and deep meaning. Like any human being we've either lost a loved one or will someday as we're vapor in the wind. This touching story gets to the heart of why and seeing the beauty of life beyond the loss. It's certainly really cool too having the input of CS Lewis along the way for Sheldon. It's speaks to the necessity of the close relationships that help us navigate the wonderful and darkest times of our life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, but audio stinks.

Having read this 30 years ago, I wanted to listen to it again, to gain another insight. The narrator does an ok job, even if he sounds rather emotionless, but my biggest issue was the audio itself. There are times he sounds 100 yards away, and others when he sounds like he has a bucket over his head.
it makes it a difficult listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A fairly overstated life

I suppose this is to be expected when a poet writes an autobiography, but to me it felt like the author spoke with such weight and grandeur about a rather normal life. It felt too distant from reality. There were a few insights I found helpful, but overall it just didn't resonate with me.

A book about love and loss
Covered too thick in gloss
Would mean more to me
If it rang of deep honesty.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful