A Fence Around Her

By: Brigid Amos

Narrated by: Leonor A. Woodworth

Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

Having a mother with a past is never easy. For Ruthie Conoboy it becomes the struggle of a lifetime in 1900, the year Tobias Mortlock arrives in the gold mining town of Bodie, California. Ruthie is suspicious of this stranger, but her trusting father gives him a job in the stamp mill. Soon, Ruthie suspects that her mother and Mortlock have become more than friends. Can Ruthie stop this man from destroying her family?

©2016 Brigid Amos (P)2017 Clean Reads

A clear voice of growing maturity and family love.

What made the experience of listening to A Fence Around Her the most enjoyable?

A clear and grounded voice expressing the struggle and vulnerability of a young girl coming to terms with the failures of a mother she loves.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Fence Around Her?

The young heroine understands the depths of her mother's pain as she watches in anguish as her mother is publicly shamed and ostracized.

Which character – as performed by Leonor A. Woodworth – was your favorite?

Each character was distinctive and added depth to the story. The reading of Tobias Mortlock was rich with a sinister and ominous flare he so well deserved!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

The story was never far from my mind as I waited for available time to jump into listening during flights.

Any additional comments?

Brigid Amos skillfully captures the vulnerability of a young girl with a wounded heart learning to transcend her disappointment and loss and step into maturity through forgiveness and love.

So, so much more than "Generic Romance Novel"

If you could sum up A Fence Around Her in three words, what would they be?

engrossing, researched, solid

What did you like best about this story?

"Agency" is a new buzzword but please forgive me, it's the only word I can think of right now! Ruthie makes her own decisions, acknowledging what she sees as safe and what she thinks of as inappropriate THEN SHE ACTS! I think books with one young woman on the cover can look "romance novel" by default. I don't enjoy those where women, even lead characters, sit around and wait for things to happen to them. That isn't Ruthie and the author did a great job of letting her character act...but not stupidly. Making just any decision would jump the shark and I was pleased that her character was consistently logical and clever as well as emotional.
Also, the author wove mining into the story with great detail but I never felt we were being told as padding, or filler. It worked.

Which scene was your favorite?

Ruthie helps her mom with a bath and and you can just HEAR how she wants to be a good daughter and comforting, but her more adult sensibilities are wondering if her mom is being overly dramatic about "dying in this town." It was a good, pioneer-spirit sort of feeling when a teen version Ruthie would have told her 2017 mom to quit being a drama llama.

I would like to say here that I thought the narration and pacing were good throughout the book, but I felt the reader didn't find the right tone for the mother's voice. It was an odd pitch, drawn out, and more of a caricature than other people. I did like the stuff she did in the more masculine vocals.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

How deep would you go to find the truth about your family?

Any additional comments?

I was asked to review this work honestly and received a promotional copy for that purpose. My statements here reflect my honest critique of this audiobook.

An Engaging Story

I found myself at first not liking the narrator's voice but then it dawned upon me that it is absolutely perfect for this story line that engaged me and at times had my jaw dropping. I recommend this audiobook.

A wonderful story with a wonderful performance!

Would you listen to A Fence Around Her again? Why?

Yes, because it was so well done!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ruthie. I loved listening to her tell the story.

Which scene was your favorite?

A certain scene with Robby, but no spoilers here! I think all the scenes between Ruthie and Robby were among my favorites because I enjoyed the differences in their personalities.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were three! I remember because that's how many times I heard myself gasp out loud!

Any additional comments?

The writing was wonderful, creating such a clear picture of the setting and characters for me. Every night I looked forward to my visits to Bodie. I loved the narration, too. It was so well done! Another reviewer mentioned she should have bought a copy of the book and read along. What a great idea! I wish I had thought of that, too.There were moments in this story that caught me by surprise. This story and the characters will stay with me.
I would like to mention that I received a free copy of this story from the author in exchange for an unbiased review.