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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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Brilliance!

Brilliant storyline and equally brilliant narration. Simply enchanting. I couldn't stop listening! and I cried, which never happens when I read novels. Such a touching story and so well-written.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Scotland History

The narrator's use of the Scottish accent made the audio book ring true, but at times it was unintelligible. The back and forth from current times to historical events was hard to follow.

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  • Overall
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Spellbinding

I have never reviewed a book even though I have really enjoyed many. This book captured my interest from the start and held it to the end Beautifully written and narrated. I will be looking for mor books by this author and narrator.

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Just right

First time listening to this author and narrator- the story and narration were well paired. I liked both very much. Sure the accents are wonky but I didn’t care. The narrator did a good job separating the characters.

This is a light story, pleasant and historical. I’ll explore this author again.

Enjoy!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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History and romance, oh my!

This story transcends time and it's uncanny how Susanna Kearsley presents the historical facts and intertwines the story of predestined love

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great book but narrator very distracting style

What did you love best about The Winter Sea?

I liked the story alot, I'm a Kearsley fan. Unfortunately this reader is very annoying and distracting for two reasons (1) voice sounds constantly like an advertisement or a voice over/newscaster style. Not natural (2) she puts very odd pauses as she reads which makes listening difficult - e.g. in the phrase "coal stove" there is a pause between coal and stove, or with "not very long" there's a long pause between not and very long. its just not easy to listen to.

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Another winner

A Susanna Kearsley novel read by Rosalyn Landor. That's what I call a win win.

I'm

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Travel back

A story that takes place in the modern world and 300 years back. It is an enjoyable story.

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Such a fun listen

I love the way she brings to life past and present in this book and the characters were great

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Love love it!

This book grabbed me from the beginning. I could not wait to get back to it. The narrator did an excellent job with the characters.

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