His Grace of Osmonde

By: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Narrated by: Helen Smith

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

"His Grace of Osmonde" (1897) is a historical satire by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Excerpt from the book:

"Upon the village of Camylott there had rested since the earliest peep of dawn a hush of affectionate and anxious expectancy, the very plough-boys going about their labours without boisterous laughter, the children playing quietly, and the good wives bustling less and modulating the sharpness of their voices, the most motherly among them in truth finding themselves falling into whispering as they gossiped of the great subject of the hour. "The swallows were but just beginning to stir when I heard the horses' hoofs a-clatter," said Dame Watt to her neighbour as they stood in close confab in her small front garden. "Lord's mercy! though I have lain down expecting it every night for a week, the heart of me leapt up in my throat and I jounced Gregory with a thump in his back to wake him from his snoring. 'Gregory,' cries I, "tis sure begun. God be kind to her young Grace this day."

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Deliver me from this narrator, oh Lord!

This narrator, Helen Smith, is totally unfit for the job, and unfortunately she narrates several other Burnett books as well. It may be an excellent story, but I couldn't bear to listen to it. Lisping, teeth whistling, and mispronunciations were just a few of the problems, and yes, a lack of inflection too. Would much prefer to listen to Katherine Brooks (narrator of The Shuttle) even with her birds chirping in the background!

Good Story

The story is a very good one, but the reader is monotone and slow. Helen Smith needs to quit reading or read faster.