Preview
  • Sweep

  • The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
  • By: Jonathan Auxier
  • Narrated by: Sarah Coomes
  • Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (877 ratings)

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Sweep

By: Jonathan Auxier
Narrated by: Sarah Coomes
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Publisher's summary

"This atmospheric work of historical fiction and magical realism takes place in nineteenth-century London. Narrator Sarah Coomes creates a variety of voices for the chimney sweeps - Cockney climbing kids who are the featured characters. Listeners meet Nan Sparrow, the legendary climber; a malevolent master; a soft-spoken Jewish immigrant; a gentle chimney sweep; and Charlie - Nan's 'monster'.... Coomes's monster's squeaky voice is jarring at first, but listeners will quickly discover that it fits his kind and childlike personality. Coomes's voice and Auxier's prose combine to create an immersive experience. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award." (AudioFile magazine)

For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on “climbing boys” - orphans owned by chimney sweeps - to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless, and brutally dangerous.

Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived - and a girl. With her wits and will, she’s managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come.

Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature - a golem - made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.

Sweep is the story of a girl and her monster. Together, these two outcasts carve out a life - saving one another in the process. By one of today’s most powerful storytellers, Sweep is a heartrending adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and hope.

©2018 Jonathan Auxier (P)2018 Audible, Inc.
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What listeners say about Sweep

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

sweet, honest historical magical realism

This sweet story had me engaged from page 1. The way The Sweeps fantasy world slowly gives way to harsh reality, then back to fantasy is beautiful. It made me want to be more creative in my own world and with my children. It made me see possibility in gloom. I liked the reader, but think she could have sang the song parts more carefully.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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heart tugging story

I got this on a whim..sounded interesting. a great story. loved it..Nan is a great character.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful story of joy in struggling

We loved this story (kids aged: 6,7,9&11). There is a short theme of suicidal thoughts, death etc. but overall a wonderful message of how caring for others is a way to care for ourselves.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful story!

I’d heard my 10 yo grandchild would like this book so before I gave it to her, I listened to it myself. I love this book! It is beautifully written and full of life lessons and some history to boot! Narrator did a fabulous job, as well!

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Great story!

A lovely story with a bit of history, something different. Very well read and performed!

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good

mmm yesss very good it was, i like, very good for me, make more good

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Perfect. A new favorite.

The story, the narration - every second of this was flawless.

After reading Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience in college, I've never been able to hear anything about chimney sweeps (even in Mary Poppins) without thinking of Blake's work and the horrors he captured in his poems. This story is a stunning, heartfelt expansion of the same themes, masterfully written and mixed with magic. The way the author captures both the world through the eyes of a child and the aching joy of parenthood is sublime.

The narrator too is absolutely perfect. Great voicing of multiple characters, and absolutely nails the right level of "evocative storyteller" voice without going overboard. If Audible redid the entire catalog in her voice, I'm pretty sure no one would be mad. Please. Someone make a way for this lady to read everything to me forever.

I came to this book expecting nothing more than a diverting listen, but will come back again and again for what is easily the best book I've read or listened to in a long while. Love, love, love.

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A story for everyone.

“ We save ourselves by saving others” is the message of this story. It’s a beautiful tale of hardship, pain and overcoming obstacles while protecting those you love. It takes you into the world of 1800’s England when very young poor children were used to their disadvantage and often death for the good of others pockets and houses. I first read the book and now have listened with a wonderful narrator. This is not a book for children only. It is a story for all ages. It’s a beautiful tale and one I will listen to again. Thank you Jonathan Auxier.

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Wonderful book!

I listened to this with my 3 boys ages 8, 10 and 11. We absolutely LOVED it!! It brought us so much emotion thinking of all that happened to these children. We were in tears at the end and were so sad it was over.

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Superb!

Narrator is wonderful. Story has so much depth to it. I read ahead of my kids because I just wanted to know what was next. I cried at the end! Loved the authors writing style, I will be looking at more books he’s written. It’s on my top faves list!

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