The Break

Tales From a Revolution - Nova-Scotia

By: Lars D. H. Hedbor

Narrated by: Tamara Dohan

Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's Summary

Susannah Mills is trying to put the pieces of her shattered life back together after she and her father flee their erstwhile neighbors in rebellious Massachusetts.

When the American War of Independence visits the safe haven they have found in Nova Scotia, she must rely on her inner strength and help from new friends to keep her skin in one piece.

©2014 Lars D. H. Hedbor (P)2020 Lars D. H. Hedbor

Story 5/5. I Love the personal stories

This is the eighth book I have read/listened to by this author and I would listen to anything he writes. Every one weaves a fantastic tale about average people going about their daily lives despite the turmoil of the times. I love his stories because his characters are not all right in the middle of the main event, standing cheek to cheek with the big name people of these events. The characters are on the periphery, attempting to go about the struggles of daily life in such a tumultuous time. How they are affected varies from story to story. In this story, aside from choosing to move to hopefully get away from the war, the main character is affected only indirectly. She learns things that do cause great sorrow, but it is mostly learned through letters from her best friend still living back in Massachusetts . They are from the viewpoint of supporters of the Crown. ——-I liked how this time the author based the story in Nova Scotia. Obviously, the American revolution had broad repercussions and affected a great many people in many ways. Nova Scotia was not untouched. Our main character, as well as many other families, move there in an effort to flee the conflict. This influx of immigrants had great impact on the area. ——
I would listen to this book again. I wish to listen to every book in this series. ——-

This is the first book I have listened to by this narrator ( Tamara Dothan ). Her reading was a bit stilted (and I feel it is more of a reading than a performance). Her cadence never varied character to character, conversation vs letter. It’s like she had difficulty really getting a smooth flow with the dialogue since the grammar is not the way we speak now, and much of the story is recounted in letters. It’s like the difference between a reader of Shakespeare and a true performer. That is not to say this was not a pleasant listen. At no point was I going to stop, but I never felt truly immersed in the story.——-

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence, or swearing. ——-

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

Story 5/5
Narration 3/5

Excellent!

ya-only-means-no-gratuitous-erotica, colonial-america, american-rev-war, nova-scotia, family-dynamics, friendship, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture

Loyalists. Not the King's soldiers or the rebel rabble (our family portrayed said rabble for years), but ordinary citizens who believed in the King of England and all that entailed. Including a young girl and her father, her friend's family, and so many others. They sort of had choices: move away from their homes near Boston, stay and tolerate the harassment by their neighbors, or return to their ancestral homes. Susannah and her father moved to Nova Scotia even as the French speakers were being deported and her friend, Emma, and family remained. The story of the years just prior to and throughout the war is revealed through their letters to each other with all the social changes as well as personal ones. It's good to see the other side of a disagreement and not just through the perspective of soldiers. I have come to trust the author's diligence in thoroughly researching the factual matters and appreciate the humanization of all of his remarkable characters.
As this tale was told through the perspective of a girl, the narrator this time is Tamara Dohan who is very effective in her interpretation.
Of course I loved it!