Mercer Girls

By: Libbie Hawker

Narrated by: Amy McFadden

Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

It's 1864 in downtrodden Lowell, Massachusetts. The Civil War has taken its toll on the town - leaving the economy in ruin and its women in dire straits. That is, until Asa Mercer arrives on a peculiar, but providential, errand: he seeks high-minded women who can exert an elevating influence in Seattle, where there are ten men for every woman. Mail-order brides, yes, but of a certain caliber.

Schoolmarmish Josephine, tough-as-nails Dovey, and pious perfectionist Sophronia see their chance to exchange their bleak prospects for new lives. But the very troubles that sent them running from Lowell follow them to the muddy streets of Seattle, and the friendships forged on the cross-country trek are tested at every turn.

Just when the journey seems to lead only to ruin, an encounter with a famous suffragist could be their salvation. But to survive both an untamed new landscape and their pasts, they'll need all their strength - and one another.

©2016 Libbie Hawker (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Warning: Young,Adult,Fiction

Once again I have been tricked into buying something that advertises as a novel but is really just barely a literary notch above a children's book.
The historic context given in the author's afterword is well written and interesting.
The rest of this book is repetitious, simple-minded, and moralistic.
I've said it before and I'm saying it again here: adult fiction should come with a warning label on Audible.

Delightful

this fictional Tale that represents the part that women played in the history of Seattle Washington has sparked the Curiosity in me to research the true history of the Mercer girls

Love her voice

Not only is this a good book but the narrators voice is easy to listen to..... pleasant may I dare say. Often times the story of a book is great but I can't get over the narrators voice so I don't listen. But in the case of this audiobook, I've listened to it 3 times.

Dont Waste a credit

This is not a book for mature readers! The reader is slightly annoying. The character, Dovey, speaks like she is a Valley Girl,but the setting for this is the Civil War years! I agree with so many of the reviewers who wrote that they couldn't understand what the other reviewers read that was so wonderful! I agree, they must not have read some really terrific stories with really terrific readers! I haven't finished this book...I'm on Chapter 14, but am seriously considering returning it. This is a book for 17 years old....not mature women like me who appreciate good writing and readers....

This book is ridiculous!

I had to put this book down! One thing I dislike about historical fiction is when the author imbues women with modern sensibilities. The Dovey character is a southern daughter of a rich man who because she doesn't want an arranged marriage just decides out of the blue to open a whorehouse!? A few pages before this she had never held a job not to mention she's 16 years old. And every whore she meets immediately become her friend. Yeah, she doesn't want her person exploited but will have no problem exploiting other women. The Sophie character is a little better. I guess in that time a woman could go west on a mission of religion. But her family wouldn't allow a woman to travel unescorted. Not ever. If she was a working class woman... maybe that would happen but not a woman with a pious family. The Joe character I liked best. Being a married woman running from an abusive husband probably happened quite a bit and if she was a real person, I would cheer her on. These kinds of books don't give woman of today an idea of how restrictive women's lives were in frontier times. Dovey not knowing how to ride a horse would've surprised me since that was the one sport rich women were allowed. And when she drew her gun while collecting taxes the man would have shot her. Tax collectors were regularly shot. She would be no differently. I've gone on long enough. I bought the audiobook for 3.99 and I didn't even finish it. It just so long and boring and unbelievably progressing that it annoyed me.

Great story, not what I expected.

I was expecting love and romance, but instead I found a more realistic version of the Mercer girls. Although fiction, much of the story was based on fact. I was especially impressed by the author's portrayal of women's hardships in this time. I learned much about the women's suffrage movement. This story prompted me to read more about women's suffrage and Susan B. Anthony.

Fantastic story!

I LOVE historical fiction and this book has become one of my new favorites! After the story is over the author goes into more detail about the real Mercer party and how she inspiration form the women who made the journey to Seattle and their role in settling the new city. The characters are each lovely in their own way and do much to show different points of view of their situations. While it is a longer book to listen to, I found myself listening to it for multiple hours at a time and thinking about it after I had paused the story. If you enjoy historical fiction you'll love this story, absolutely worth the credit!

Mercer Girls

I never expected my first audio book to be such a delight both in its beautiful prose as well as its enactment. ThAnk you to author and actress.

A little slow and drags on

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Seems to be a lot of extra words that could have been edited out. I put on 1.5 speed to finish it and be done. Also didn't like the narration very much. She didn't make me feel like different characters or when she tried it was to obvious.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Except for Josephine, I didn't really like any of the characters very much. To extreme and felt I couldn't identify with either of them.

Would you be willing to try another one of Amy McFadden’s performances?

No, I didn't enjoy her performance.

Enjoyable and educational

The narrator did an excellent reading. I really liked all 3 of the main characters. They were clearly differentiated. Having Susan Anthony enter the book was wonderful. I hope to find more Merced Girl books