The Shore

A Novel

By: Sara Taylor

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, MacLeod Andrews

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

An ambitious, Baileys prize-nominated debut set in an unforgettable place, introducing a powerful new voice in fiction.

The Shore: a group of small islands in the Chesapeake Bay, just off the coast of Virginia. The Shore is clumps of evergreens, wild ponies, oyster-shell roads, tumble-down houses, unwanted pregnancies, murder, and dark magic in the marshes. Sanctuary to some but nightmare to others, it's a place that generations of families both wealthy and destitute have inhabited, fled, and returned to for hundreds of years. From a half-Shawnee Indian's bold choice to escape an abusive home only to find herself with a man who will one day try to kill her, to a brave young girl's determination to protect her younger sister as methamphetamine ravages their family, the characters in this remarkable novel have deep connections to the land, and a resilience that only the place they call home could create.

Through a series of interconnecting narratives that recalls the work of David Mitchell and Jennifer Egan, Sara Taylor brings to life the small miracles and miseries of a community of outsiders, and the bonds of blood and fate that connect them all.

Spanning over a century, dreamlike and yet impossibly real, profound and playful, The Shore is a breathtakingly ambitious and accomplished work of fiction by a young writer of remarkable promise.

©2015 Sara Taylor (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A vivid exploration of the struggle for autonomy and the many meanings of what we call home." (Eimear McBride, author of A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing)

"I loved this book. Redemption and revenge thread through these tales of lives at the margins. Epic in breadth but glittering in its detail, The Shore is utterly absorbing." (Catherine O'Flynn, author of What Was Lost)

"This searing debut novel... offers a promising new voice. Taylor excels at imagining outsider identities, female strength, the connection of people to place, and a world so perilous that damage and healing, brutality and resourcefulness merge." ( Publishers Weekly)

Hard to follow but good story

I like to listen on the go. That being said, the story was good, but difficult to follow if you’re not fully engaged. Great narration!

Compelling read.

I am not sure how to describe this book to accurately honor how excellent I found it to be. It captivated me. The Southern grittiness. The dark and light of the story and characters will remain with me for a long time. It is just so so good. It made me think of my own familial bonds, the past stories, the hard seasons, the happiness~ the ways in which we all choose to live and carry on in the face of our particular circumstances. The stories of The Shore are creative and beautifully detailed.
The Audible narrators have become my very favorite and I think their voices are what helped the carefully chosen words ebb and flow~ringing with more color and depth than I could do reading this to myself. The author added just the right amount of magick and realism to keep me in the story from start to finish. A fantastic novel.

Sometimes Beautiful and Amazing, Sometimes a Little Off The Rails.

The parts of this book that took place in the present and recent past were beautiful, interesting and haunting. The magical realism really worked, and the characters were wonderful and engaging. I would have followed Chloe or Ellie through an entire novel. The characters from the distant past were less engaging, and I really had trouble following the story into the apocalyptic future. I didn’t realize starting out that the book was a bunch of loosely connected stories, and I really thought the first story was the most engaging. In all, the book was well-written and worth a listen.

I live on Cincoteague Island

Loved the book. Sara Taylor writes about the Shore as though she has lived here! The readers are terrific: Onancock is pronounced O-nan-cock and Tasley has a long a. Other than those two picky little observations I would urge folks to read the book and visit Chincoteague. The ponies are still here. The beach in winter is windswept and empty. Thank you Sara Taylor for capturing our wonderful Shore.

MADE THE RIDE HOME FROM WORK SEEM LONGER.

Any additional comments?

I ORDERED THIS BOOK BECAUSE I ENJOY IT WHEN JENNA LAMIA IS DOING THE NARRATION. AND SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT, BUT I LEARNED FROM THIS BOOK THE NARRATOR WILL READ ANYTHING IF IT PAYS. JENNA PLEASE STAY WITH THE LIGHT ENTERTAINING BOOKS.

Gang Rape Spoiler 🤬

Ugh. Unnecessary, graphic- like writer got off on it. Disgusting. Just about done with audible this time.