The Firebird

By: Susanna Kearsley

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird - the mythical creature from an old Russian fable.

Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna who leads her into the past on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption.

©2013 Susanna Kearsley (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

A book that should be a movie

I loved this book , the story is captivating from front to back I was absorbed by it . One of the best I've read in a long time.

Love the characters

Would you listen to The Firebird again? Why?

Yes. It's a great story, and the narrator was fantastic. It's always a good sign when I can tell which character is talking by the sound of their voice.

Any additional comments?

Even though the story was very gripping, there were a couple of times that it felt disjointed. Overall a great read.

Omg loved it!

All my favorite things in one book. Could not put it down. Hope there’s more

Well read and fulfilling

Two different tales interwoven with modern England and Jacobite Scotland, with some Russian thrown in. Mildly romantic, one I have listened to twice already and will listen to again and again.

Worth the listen!

Engrossing and inspirational. This book just took me away, which is why I love this genre.

first book was better.

love the first book, this plays off of it, was nice to know it had a good ending but i just couldn't get into it. loved the narrator though.

What a terrific narration!

What made the experience of listening to The Firebird the most enjoyable?

The narrator was superb. Irish, Scottish, Russian, British and American accents all done phenomenally. It was like I was hearing a cast of characters. The story is romantic and obviously fantastical (visions, mind reading etc) but it was well paced and always interesting.

What other book might you compare The Firebird to and why?

I've read others of the author's books (The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden) and I would compare this favorably. I'd go so far as to compare this book to Tracy Chevalier's tone and style (The Girl With the Pearl Earring etc). And the parts of the plot concerning the Jacobite uprising in Scotland reminded me of the Outlander series.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Everything. She really put on a stage-worthy performance. Great with accents.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to but 14+ hours may have been a little over the top for one sitting.

Exciting and romantic

Loved the book and the reader. This has something for the historical fiction lover, the modern fantasy novel fan, and the romantic. Great plot that keeps you guessing. Characters that are engaging and likeable. Just enough Jacobean truth to make it seem plausible. Imperial Russia is a wonderful backdrop for romance and intrigue!

Good, but not my favorite Kearsley novel

I'd give this book about 3.5 stars. If I'm comparing it to other books that I've rated as 4 stars, I just can't give it a rating that rounds up to 4. It was a very good book, and I would recommend it to others. But for me, several parts of the plot were a bit predictable, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't a book that I "couldn't put down" -- which is a minimum required element for a higher rating from me.

Awesome find!

The story is actually one of self-blooming and becoming your true self. Nicola an art dealer in London she has a psychic gift where she gets visions by touching objects. Nicola was groomed growing up by her grandfather to never reveal her gift to anyone. One day a woman comes in with a priceless carved Firebird with a tale that it was given to her ancestor by Catherine the Great. Nicola knows this to be true by touching the object but nor the woman or Nicola can prove the worth of the Firebird. Nicola decides to go on a mission to find the proof needed to validate the worth of the Firebird, with such self doubt on her own skills, Nicola seeks the help of another psychic her ex-boyfriend Rob. Then Nicola's journey begins. The book is a gem. The narrator is awesome she pulls off male / female, British, Scottish, Irish and Russian accents and she even sings when the characters do...bravo! very credit worthy.