Simon the Fiddler

A Novel

De: Paulette Jiles

Narrado por: Grover Gardner

The critically acclaimed, best-selling author of News of the World and Enemy Women returns to Texas in this atmospheric story, set at the end of the Civil War, about an itinerant fiddle player, a ragtag band of musicians with whom he travels trying to make a living, and the charming young Irish lass who steals his heart.

In March 1865, the long and bitter War between the States is winding down. Till now, 23-year-old Simon Boudlin has evaded military duty thanks to his slight stature, youthful appearance, and utter lack of compunction about bending the truth. But following a barroom brawl in Victoria, Texas, Simon finds himself conscripted, however belatedly, into the Confederate Army. Luckily his talent with a fiddle gets him a comparatively easy position in a regimental band.

Weeks later, on the eve of the Confederate surrender, Simon and his bandmates are called to play for officers and their families from both sides of the conflict. There the quick-thinking, audacious fiddler can’t help but notice the lovely Doris Mary Aherne, an indentured girl from Ireland, who is governess to a Union colonel’s daughter.

After the surrender, Simon and Doris go their separate ways. He will travel around Texas seeking fame and fortune as a musician. She must accompany the colonel’s family to finish her three years of service. But Simon cannot forget the fair Irish maiden, and vows that someday he will find her again.

Incandescent in its beauty, told in Paulette Jiles’ trademark spare yet lilting style, Simon the Fiddler is a captivating, bittersweet tale of the chances a devoted man will take, and the lengths he will go to fulfill his heart’s yearning.

©2020 Paulette Jiles (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Disappointing

I loved News of the World and was very much looking forward to this follow-up ( Jefferson Kidd make a short appearance). The prose is lovely, as well as having well- developed characters, but it was just too long. The narrative goes on and on with all that lovely prose, but the actual story is very scant. Grover Gardner is a fine narrator.

Good Solid Story

This is not the genre I typically choose. I prefer a little more action and excitement in my stories. But I still enjoyed it. The narrator was great and the story was just a good old fashioned tale. It less about the events and more about the characters, which was refreshing.

Marty B. Hudson, Ohio

Our book group read News of the Workd by Jikes and I loved it! So when I saw she had a new book I was eager to read it. Ended up listening instead. This too was a wonderful story.
This story is really about one young man. He has been through difficult changes in his life and finds himself in the Southwest at the end of the Civil War. By now he has made decisions as to what he wants in life. It is a time of hard work and years to get what he wants. But he is wonderfully true to himself with many other characters around him. I thought it was wonderful and listening made it better especially when the fiddle which would play throughout the book. I will always keep an eye out for her books!

Old Timey Tale

No high tension scenes but an interesting tale of post Civil War times and ways. Characters were well developed and the descriptions made for good visuals in the reader’s mind. The plot and story were straight through with little twist nor subplot and that was a weakness. The story was appropriate for all ages.

Mixed reviews

I found the storyline intriguing but lacking. The author goes into great detail to include all of the names of songs Simon and his group played and practiced. She also goes into great detail to include a lot of musical vocabulary. Because of the inordinate amount of this “over-information”, I felt that I was listening to someone who knew too much and had to tell everyone everything to show how much they knew. It seemed that there were pages of narration listing the songs, in order, that the fiddler and his troupe played and practiced (and they played and practiced A LOT). To someone who doesn’t know these old-time songs, I did not feel that they helped to set the mood and emotion for the event for which they were playing and often found myself fast forwarding through that part of the story. The love story between Simon and Doris is heartwarming, and the struggles they went through just to be together were well-written.

Best reader ever.

A gentle but well developed plot and characters with depth. Certainly the manners and environment of the times were well researched.

Quite charming

Narration is “spot on.” I grew up in southern Oklahoma and spent summers with my grandparents who lived just a mile north of the Red River so I found this book delightful. In addition half of my mothers family lived in northern Texas and I sometimes “summered” in northern Texas. The description of Texas geography was at once familiar to me and evocative. Kudos to the author.With enthusiasm I recommend this listen to fellow “Audible listeners as well as newcomers to the “Audible way.”

Post Civil War South Texas

Wonderful story! Great character development, as always with this author. She is a gifted historian as well as writer.

perfect narrator

engaging characters and trip through post civil war texas. author paints hyper realistic scenes and smells.

Lovely sweet story

A beautiful period piece that gives a wonderful feel for the post civil war frontier environment. Reader is well known among longtime listeners and is very competent if somewhat deadpan. But the feel of the times and the thoughts of those looking to survive and thrive in a disordered world that still has a sense of guiding morality and etiquette that reaches through all strata of society is fascinating. Enjoy!