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The Winter Sea  By  cover art

The Winter Sea

By: Susanna Kearsley
Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
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Editorial reviews

When venturing into the historical fiction genre, I’m often drawn to specific, brief events that were either glossed over or left entirely out of the history books, as opposed to those that cover broad subjects that can be densely overwhelming. Given a subject like Henry XIII and his wives or Joan of Arc, both popular subjects of the genre, an author could easily lose an audience to an overwhelming amount of explanation and facts. Instead, Susanna Kearsley’s The Winter Sea offers a narrow, controlled exploration of a lesser known event, the 1708 Jacobite failed uprising by James Stewart against William of Orange and Mary Stewart to reclaim the throne. It is an enthralling story that makes the facts and descriptions of the people and places surrounding the uprising much more palatable and absorbing.

The Winter Sea also offers a unique narrative format. Main character and popular historical fiction novelist Carrie McClelland rents a cottage for the summer on the coast of Scotland, not far from Slain Castle (where she sets her story) and where the Jacobite uprising occurred centuries ago. Thus, The Winter Sea has two narratives: McClelland in present day Scotland, writing her novel; and McClelland’s novel, a work in progress detailing the Jacobite uprising in 1708 Scotland. Such a narrative format is fodder for narrator Rosalyn Landor, whose performance skillfully embodies the complex mind of a writer. Her voicing of Carrie is investigative, creative, imaginative, and discerning. Her deep, expressive tone allows her the versatility to voice the myriad supporting characters, both male and female, past and present. The dreamlike writing sequences of McClelland writing her novel really sing under Landor’s rendering. With Landor as a guide, it’s easy to lose yourself in The Winter Sea’s journey through Scotland and through history.

The Winter Sea confidently flourishes in the intrigue surrounding this political uprising, while also offering the accommodating narrative device of delivering the story through the mind of a writer. Kearsley and Landor together remind us that history does not have to get bogged down by the facts, but instead can be thrilling, suspenseful, and imaginative, especially when presented from a unique perspective. Suzanne Day

Publisher's summary

History has all but forgotten...

In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.

Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.

But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

Please note: This novel has also been published under a different title: Sophia's Secret.

Please note, this title is the original recording, which is now known as Sophia's Secret

©2010 Susanna Kearsley (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Winner, Romance, 2012
"Rosalyn Landor provides delightful Scottish accents for many of the characters Carrie meets inside and outside her novel....Landor adds a poetic edge to her storytelling while at the same time giving a dreamy aura to the historical side of the story." ( Audiofile)

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What listeners say about The Winter Sea

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Stunning…

Such a stunning book. Beautifully stunning, mysterious stunning, lovingly stunning. From the storyline to the narration it was a wonderfully stunning book!

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Enraptured with this read.

One of those stories you wish never ended. Listened to this during a long car drive, and I didn’t even notice the time, or states passing by.
The narrator had an excellent voice and tone for each character.

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  • Overall
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Historical Romance at it's best!My very favorite!

I had read this book and it was my all time favorite! Listening to it in Audible was just as good as the first time, I even understood some details the second time! It was like a movie playing in my head!
A shift back to Scotland, England and France at the time of Outlanders Jacobites and Prince James and then back to the 2000's and another romance. I love how the two stories are wound together and I love the details that make me feel like I was there! I love this author and have read every book she has written and loved them all!!

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Sweeping take of love and loss

The Winter Sea is a sweeping tale of love and loss. This is the second book of Susanna Kearsley I have read. I had no idea what this book would contain when I started reading it. I found out quickly it contains the Keith’s which is one of my family lines. I was so intrigued I have now ordered “The Firebird” Slains #2. It has also caused me to go further back in my Keith family lineage. Thank you Susanna Kearsley.

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Slow Start Awesome Story!

I loved this story, but wished there were more narrators with different voices to add.

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Beautiful!

I hated to see this novel end. I even learned some Scottish history while listening.

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Love this story

This was the first book I read by Suzanna Kersley. It remains my favorite one. I love the historic aspects of it and the story line is very well done. I’m so intrigued by the idea of genetic memory.

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Gentle romance

A gentle romance with some delightful characters in an atmospheric setting on the fog-bound Scottish coast. Aside from the usual boy/girl stuff, there are some nice family interactions on display. Enjoyed the narrator's Scots dialect.

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22 people found this helpful

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Ahh, Romance

This is a 3-for-1: two romances and an historical novel. Its proportions are about that, 2:1. Ms. Landor does her usual great narration, which, for me, saved this book (I am a romantic but not a romance reader). Good fluff with a bit of history thrown in.

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Awesome Tale with great twist

The worlds that this writer tells of, the past and present are so real and woven together lovingly. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt I could just have walked into them and seen everything they saw. Beautifully written! Romantic, but not trashy. She had me crying and laughing! This is a very moving tale that though dramatic and tragic in parts has a truly joyful ending. I loved it. I particularly enjoyed the family history tie in. I haven't read much historical fiction. I prefer fantasy and adventure stories. I do love mysteries and romances without smut. This has a bit of mystery, a good dose of romance and plenty of history woven in. I am definitely recommending that my mother read this next. She will love it, so will my daughter and my sister. This one is a keeper.

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7 people found this helpful