Learned by Heart

By: Emma Donoghue

Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio

A heartbreakingly gorgeous novel based on the true story of two girls who fall secretly, deeply, and dangerously in love at boarding school in 19th century York, from the bestselling author of Room and The Wonder.

Drawing on years of investigation and Anne Lister’s five-million-word secret journal, Learned by Heart is the long-buried love story of Eliza Raine, an orphan heiress banished from India to England at age six, and Anne Lister, a brilliant, troublesome tomboy, who meet at the Manor School for young ladies in York in 1805 when they are both fourteen.

Emotionally intense, psychologically compelling, and deeply researched, Learned by Heart is an extraordinary work of fiction by one of the world’s greatest storytellers. Full of passion and heartbreak, the tangled lives of Anne Lister and Eliza Raine form a love story for the ages.

Absorbing. Believable. Loved it

I was transfixed by this story. Elated and saddened.
I reccommend this. What a story

Historical Fiction 1800’s England

The beginning was slow, but the story was a good one. It was easy to imagine how two women who fell in love in England at a boarding school could grow so close and be so restricted. I didn’t expect the ending and it made me wonder if there is or will be a part 2.

Must read for fans of Anne Lister

As a fan of Emma Donoghue’s previous novels, anything set in a boarding school, and anything about Anne Lister, I loved it.

Great period piece

Well written but, a bit disappointingly, it opens with promise and closes with brooding.

The performer is good, but her French pronunciation appalling. How about a little coaching,in preparation for the reading? It's French, not Martian.

I Enjoyed This

It was fascinating to learn about Ann Lister. I had never heard of her before but now I want to learn more. The ending made me sad.