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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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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting story; good history

This would rank in the top third of the audiobooks I've listened to. I particularly enjoyed this story because it is set in the same time as Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. some of the history involved was the same. It was like reading a 'side' story to Gabaldon's books.

I liked the two story lines and the way they were presented. I only wish there had been a meeting between Carrie, the brothers, and the dad in the end.

Great book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Great Narrator

What about Rosalyn Landor’s performance did you like?

I really enjoyed that Landor could switch accents. Her American accent was very good. It really helped with the believability of the story.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed listening to this, it seemed to go so fast. I did figure out the ending before it got there, though.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A Nice Surprise!

Expecting a pleasant historical novel, I was pleased to discover this story included some surprising twists.

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  • Overall
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My favorite Kearsley book

The author is able to intertwine history and fiction in such a way as it is just about impossible to tell the difference. I have to confess, I spent hours researching, trying to find where one ended and the other began. This is my favorite kind of historical fiction (not like the cheap romance novels that have just window dressing with no real history).

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Historical Fiction @ Its Finest

Kearsley knows how to tell a tale, with facts woven into fiction that holds you in its spell from start to finish. I can't wait to start her next novel!

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Historical Romance, Scotland, Magical Story!

I loved this book. It was reminiscent of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series - smart, funny writing with lots of historical detail and a good romance blended in. I wish it was a series!

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Excellent beginning to end.

Everything about this book is so good. I could not put it down. I was spell bound and I have listened to more than 500 books so far. I am putting this one in my favorites.

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Great story!

I loved this story! Loved the details and the history. I loved the narrator's use of accents especially for the historical women. Carrie sounded a bit mature for my ears and all the men basically sounded the same but did a great job overall. Love it!

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Loved this little gem!

I didn't have super high expectations for this book because it was a cheap buy, but it blew me away! Loved the way it was written and the narrator was great. A very interesting piece of historical fiction! I'll definitely be purchasing another book by this author

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History and a beautiful story!

Love the Scottish thing and I really loved this book. Excellent twist at the end. All I kept saying to myself was "WHY NOT?!!!!

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