The Housemaid's Daughter

By: Barbara Mutch

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Cat Gould

Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Barbara Mutch's stunning first novel tells a story of love and duty colliding on the arid plains of Apartheid-era South Africa.

When Cathleen Harrington leaves her home in Ireland in 1919 to travel to South Africa, she knows that she does not love the man she is to marry there - her fiance Edward, whom she has not seen for five years. Isolated and estranged in a small town in the harsh Karoo desert, her only real companions are her diary and her housemaid, and later the housemaid's daughter, Ada. When Ada is born, Cathleen recognizes in her someone she can love and respond to in a way that she cannot with her own family.

Under Cathleen’s tutelage, Ada grows into an accomplished pianist and a reader who cannot resist turning the pages of the diary, discovering the secrets Cathleen sought to hide. As they grow closer, Ada sees new possibilities in front of her - a new horizon. But in one night, everything changes, and Cathleen comes home from a trip to find that Ada has disappeared, scorned by her own community. Cathleen must make a choice: should she conform to society, or search for the girl who has become closer to her than her own daughter?

Set against the backdrop of a beautiful, yet divided land, The Housemaid's Daughter is a startling and thought-provoking novel that intricately portrays the drama and heartbreak of two women who rise above cruelty to find love, hope, and redemption.

©2013 Barbara Mutch (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

long but worth it

this was a very interesting and touching story about Africa during the apartheid movement. 80 West such a determined black woman and someone who loved without regard for their skin color.

Wonderful narration and a great book.

This is a great book about the joys and challenges of two women in South Africa during the 1900's and Apartheid. The narration by Bahni Turpin is superb, and the accent she introduced in Ada, the housemaid's daughter, is amazingly beautiful! For me, listening to the audio book was the best way to enjoy the book because of Bahni Turpin's narration. At first, I thought Turpin must be from South Africa; but when I investigated, I discovered she is an actress who brought the book to life with her wonderful accented narration.

This is a terrific book--one of my very favorites! If I could give it six stars, I would have. Enjoy!

Must read

Great story learned a lot and love the narration. I highly recommend to any reader.

A beautiful story about women's strength

This was the first book I listened to by this author. I am so glad I came across this. It is beautifully written and the narration is superb. It made me cry and laugh. I did not want the story to end. It is hard to find books that you don't want them to end. It was so touching and meaningful to read about the strength of the women characters in this book despite the obstacles in their way. I will be checking out her other books.

Absolutely Amazing In Every Category!

So beautifully told that I could see the entire story. A journey worth being a part of.

brilliant and important

a family saga set in South Africa right before, during and after apartheid. the characters are so real, their situations so dire that you worry for them. you won't be able to stop listening

Captivating

This is one of the best books I’ve listened to which taught me some history and gave me a better understanding of the people living through those events. The story had me both captivated and curious. It’s a long book but it moves at a good pace. Come for the story and then realize you’ve been learning as well.

Hard to Rate

I knew very little of the history of South Africa so in that aspect I rated it 4* along with excellent narration. I felt the book too long and the writing a 3* but the background of apartheid made it relevant. In the end I gave it a 4*.

Book review

It was difficult to get into the book due to the dialect, but once I got used to it then I enjoyed.

Tears of joy

This book touched my heart from beginning to end. Thank you for giving me a vivid picture of life during a challenging time and how, love conquers all.