The Firebird

By: Susanna Kearsley

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird - the mythical creature from an old Russian fable.

Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna who leads her into the past on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption.

©2013 Susanna Kearsley (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

I’m glad I didn’t listen to the negative reviews about the narrator

This was another great storyby Susanna Kearsley the narrator was very enjoyable I did have to put the speed of my player down one. I would definitely listen to another book narrated by Katherine Kellgren

Good story - a little slow sometimes

I really liked the overall story, but at times, I found my mind wandering, which it does not do when I am listening to an excellent book. Besides that, it took me some time to get used to the narrator. She was very good with accents, but sometimes she gets really loud and her voice can grate on your nerves. I would recommend this book to friends though - I think it is well worth the read.

New and unexpected

I LOVED the story and how both story's mixed at the end. It brought sort of mystery but also Romance in the story! I also loved to learn all the history that happened back when Anna was alive. It brought a special spark to the story and I loved it!! I can't wait to read another one of you books or series if there are any!

Kept me intrigued

Where does The Firebird rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a very good historical romance with a bit of unique psychic interest. Great for long drives or commutes, not too much thinking involved but wanted to keep listening when I stopped the car.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the character development because I could imagine the people while listening.

Which scene was your favorite?

The visit to the crow and the resulting snowballs. Or, any visit to Czarina Catherine.

If you could take any character from The Firebird out to dinner, who would it be and why?

would definitely want to have dinner with any of the characters and hear their back stories but mostly Czarina Catherine. I'd like to ask her about her family history, specifically, I would ask "tell me about the women in your life and how they influenced you."

Brilliant writing, historically informative

I love the way the author elegantly weaves details from her previous book into this one -
And yet they stand alone

Great writing, great storytelling, clever mysteries woven throughout, wonderful character development... Fabulous historical nuggets woven throughout her books

Like
A
History book woven inside a story. Fantastic!

This narrator is awesome!

What made the experience of listening to The Firebird the most enjoyable?

The narrator, Katherine Kellgren, is absolutely wonderful. She was able to do several different accents in one conversation to vividly make the story come alive! The context was very rich, and a bit fanciful, but an enjoyable read with historical ties.

What other book might you compare The Firebird to and why?

This book reminded me a bit of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon in the time frame and the political climate.

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

I've not enjoyed a narrator as much as Katherine Kellgren. She is amazing at making each character distinct and remains true to their heritage in the accents she does. Children are given childlike qualities and all the characters really come alive.

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

No, this book is too long to listen to in one sitting, but I did listen for a couple hours at a time.

BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ!

I Am an experienced & avid reader, & Truly Say, BEST*BOOK*I'VE*EVER*READ!
STORY-MEZMERIZING!
NARRATOR-SUPERBLY TALENTED!
MY* THANKS*FOR *THE *EXPERIENCE !!

Love Susanna Kearsly!

Would you listen to The Firebird again? Why?

Yes. Susanna draws you in with her amazing storytelling.

Have you listened to any of Katherine Kellgren’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, I enjoyed her voice.

Any additional comments?

Worth listening. I am very glad I took a chance on Susanna's books.

Loved this book, print and audio

What did you love best about The Firebird?

I liked the follow-up to The Winter Sea. I listened to this several times and probably will again because I get busy when I'm listening and miss important things.

What did you like best about this story?

The history is fascinating and I tend to remember storylines better than a historical essay so I like that she brings the history in but it's not the only thing I'm getting from the story.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

She does a good job with the voices. That's not easy with all the different accents in this story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were places that had me teary :)

Any additional comments?

I like all of Susanna Kearsley's books so far but my favorites have been The Winter Sea and now this one. Although I also loved Mariana.

Wonderful sequel to the Winter Sea!

What a surprise to find this sequel. I loved it! A wonderful story, with the characters from the Winter Sea!