The Mere Wife

A Novel

By: Maria Dahvana Headley

Narrated by: Susan Bennett

Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

"Susan Bennett masterfully narrates a stunning retelling of Beowulf that confronts all manner of monsters...Powerful, upsetting, and unforgettable, Bennett's narration is staggeringly potent." — AudioFile Magazine

New York Times bestselling author Maria Dahvana Headley presents a modern retelling of the literary classic Beowulf, set in American suburbia as two mothers—a housewife and a battle-hardened veteran—fight to protect those they love in The Mere Wife.

From the perspective of those who live in Herot Hall, the suburb is a paradise. Picket fences divide buildings—high and gabled—and the community is entirely self-sustaining. Each house has its own fireplace, each fireplace is fitted with a container of lighter fluid, and outside—in lawns and on playgrounds—wildflowers seed themselves in neat rows. But for those who live surreptitiously along Herot Hall’s periphery, the subdivision is a fortress guarded by an intense network of gates, surveillance cameras, and motion-activated lights.

For Willa, the wife of Roger Herot (heir of Herot Hall), life moves at a charmingly slow pace. She flits between mommy groups, playdates, cocktail hour, and dinner parties, always with her son, Dylan, in tow. Meanwhile, in a cave in the mountains just beyond the limits of Herot Hall lives Gren, short for Grendel, as well as his mother, Dana, a former soldier who gave birth as if by chance. Dana didn’t want Gren, didn’t plan Gren, and doesn’t know how she got Gren, but when she returned from war, there he was. When Gren, unaware of the borders erected to keep him at bay, ventures into Herot Hall and runs off with Dylan, Dana’s and Willa’s worlds collide.

©2018 Maria Dahvana Headley (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year - Longlisted, 2018

Washington Post Best Books of the Year - Longlisted, 2018

Seattle Times Best Books of the Year - Longlisted, 2018

World Fantasy Award - Finalist, 2019

"Susan Bennett masterfully narrates a stunning retelling of BEOWULF that confronts all manner of monsters....Powerful, upsetting, and unforgettable, Bennet's narration is staggeringly potent." -AudioFile, Earphones Award Winner

"Susan Bennett’s sweetly polished voice won­derfully evokes the barely suppressed rage of Willa...listening to the book seems more appropriate than reading it. Inspired by an epic which was more likely to be declaimed rather than read, the musical prose of the novel heav­ily references an oral tradition, exhorting us to “Hark!” and “Sing!”" -Locus Magazine

Take an epic & make it even fiercer

I will come back to this one. Love MDH & where she takes us with all things Beowulf, especially after my first listen through this derivative (but NEVER less than) path. All the stars possible. Wow.

A remarkable accomplishment

Uneven, but a remarkable accomplishment nevertheless.A superb addition to the retold Beowulfs, joining John Gardner’s Grendel. Smart, moving, clever.

Dark modern version of the ancient Beowolf story

I barely liked one character. Very melodramatic though thought provoking. Might make a better neo-classical tragedy play.

Worthwhile

A worthwhile listen and a story I won't forget, but in need of editing for length.

Mere Wife

Wow, what a wonderful re- contextualizing of a well loved , well known tale . So much to admire about this imaginative narrative , such loss at its conclusion, my solution is to listen once again straight away .

Amazing

Taking the story of Beowulf and retelling it in a way that gives voice to those who have been othered in history. What an amazing novel

Intense and moving novel, perfect narrator

There's a small cast of characters in this novel that echoes Beowulf, but they are fully realized and described with compassion. The story has parallels to the poem, so there's plenty of fighting and struggle. There's also love and devotion. It's an amazing and satisfying experience.

Excellent!!

This modern day re-telling of Beauwulf was the bomb! I loved the interpretation of each character, the perspectives, the language was like poetry. The narration was spot on! An excellent read!

Fantastic Retelling

I just finished the book and I'm going to listen again as soon as I'm done typing. I love this clever retelling and its reimagination of the characters and setting. I teach Beowulf every year and was excited about this and it didn't disappoint. This is the second book I've listened to narrated by Susan Bennett, who is a very good reader, absolutely one of the best.

Phenomenal Adaptation

The reader alone is 🔥
She brings the novel to life with her incredible performance. Her subtle intonations help you follow which character is narrating. It is the best one-woman show I’ve ever heard.
The novel itself is superbly written, combining magical realism and mellifluous prose in a story that leaves you feeling boned and gutted, and yet viscerally awake. Grendel’s mother lives within all of us, and her pain mingles with police brutality and the war on terror and all the societal ills from which America is reeling.
Everyone should read this book.