The Sisterhood

De: Helen Bryan

Narrado por: Laura Roppe

Reeling from a broken engagement, adopted 19-year-old Menina Walker flees to Spain to bury her misery by writing her overdue college thesis - and soon finds herself on an unexpected journey into the past. The subject of her study is Tristan Mendoza, an obscure 16th-century artist whose signature includes a tiny swallow - the same swallow depicted on a medal that is Menina’s only link to her birth family.

Hoping her research will reveal the swallow’s significance and clue her in to her origins, Menina discovers the ancient chronicle of a Spanish convent, containing the stories of five orphaned girls hidden from the Spanish Inquisition before they escaped to the New World. Learning about the girls’ adventures, the nuns who sheltered them, and Mendoza, Menina wonders if accident or destiny led her to Spain - and the discovery of a lifetime.

From best-selling author Helen Bryan comes The Sisterhood, an epic adventure filled with history, passion, and intrigue.

©2013 Helen Bryan (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Telenovela treatment of complex history

I congratulate Helen Bryan for tapping into the treasure hold of stories that can spring from historical Spain and Latin America. Her intentions are laudable but work falls short. I agree with those who comment about the characterizations. They feel like a telenovela cast. Often the author short cuts nuanced character development with flat stereotypes. This might be harmless except the underlying theme is one of revealing human unity and harmony despite religion or gender. That's a big job for cardboard characters. The author finds herself proclaiming it more than proving it.

Best scene: when the four girls reach South America and the description of the cosmopolitan world of the harbour juxtaposing their sheltered convent experiences.

Worst section: the long awaited revelation of the gospels about the foundress. The stories were trite.

Beautiful story... ;)

It was a pretty long book, and impossible to listen to in one sitting, but I finished it in two days. Very enjoyable listening... ;)

I love this!

I've listened to this audio book at least 4 times now. It is such a great story and the narrator has such a way of pulling emotion out of you. This isna great story line, great performance, and I will definitely listen again in a year or so.

Completed this one

Interesting. Would enjoy reading others by this author. Seemed well researched and informative on multiple levels

My new favorite book!

A delightful read. Historical fiction with mystery, suspense, religion, politics, tragedy and romance. what more could you as for?

thumbs up

a very interesting story spanning over 500 years. well worth your time. The narrator does an, excellent job

Great story

The storyline was great. The way the history was told and came together was cleverly done. Loved the narrator and the way she captured the Spanish inflection.

Ms Bryan jumped the shark.

I was getting into the book and was looking forward to the ending when all of a sudden a historical novel became some fantasy fairy tale. Kind of like how The Jungle and and Grapes of Wrath turn into socialist propaganda the last chapter. After 14 hours of listening I felt like it was an Aprils Fool joke. Please rewrite the ending!

interesting take on the bible

very interconnected sometimes difficult to follow. I enjoyed how she pulled it all together in the end.

Great way to enjoy a book!

Would you listen to The Sisterhood again? Why?

Yes, I would probably listen to it again. There was enough complexity to the story to make it worth hearing another time. Though I probably wouldn't take the time to retread it, I can see myself listening to it while on my morning walk.

What does Laura Roppe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Laura Roppe changed voices with each character. It brought a lot to the experience. Also, if I had only been reading the book, I wouldn't have gotten the Spanish words correct.

Any additional comments?

This was my first experience with audio books. I didn't know how I would feel about them. I really enjoyed the format, especially while I was walking. I also enjoyed being able to switch back and forth between reading and listening to the book, two very different experiences.