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  • The Pull of the Stars

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Emma Donoghue
  • Narrated by: Emma Lowe
  • Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (514 ratings)

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The Pull of the Stars

Written by: Emma Donoghue
Narrated by: Emma Lowe
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Publisher's Summary

The new number-one best seller from the author of The Wonder and Room

Dublin, 1918: three days in a maternity ward at the height of the Great Flu. A small world of work, risk, death and unlooked-for love, by the best-selling author of The Wonder and Room.

In an Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city center, where expectant mothers who have come down with the terrible new flu are quarantined together. Into Julia’s regimented world step two outsiders - Doctor Kathleen Lynn, on the run from the police, and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney.

In the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward, over three days, these women change each other’s lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. With tireless tenderness and humanity, caregivers and mothers alike somehow do their impossible work.

In The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue once again finds the light in the darkness in this new classic of hope and survival against all odds.

©2020 Emma Donoghue (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ2S+
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What listeners say about The Pull of the Stars

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  • Overall
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Amazing story and great performance!

This is a great historical story of 3 days in a Dublin maternity ward during the 1918 flu pandemic. Told by the nurse running the ward but includes stories of so many others during this tumultuous time in the world. I highly recommend this book!

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Highly Recommend

What an amazing story. Loved it all. If you like Call the Midwife, you’ll love this too. I learned so much from this book. Can’t say enough about it. Excellent story and so beautifully written. Narration was amazing though I did speed it up to 1.1. What a treat

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powerful

as an lgbtq birth worker with irish heritage and who loves history i feel like this book was made for me.

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loved it

beautifully written. a heartbreaking piece that starts slowly but draws the reader in completely. another great novel by Emma Donahue

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Great story !!!

A terrific read especially with the world’s current pandemic ... very interesting to hear “any” information about the pandemic of 100 years ago ... great story ... I didn’t want it to end

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful ride, a “page turner”

Wow! What a great story. Great narrator. Made for irresistible late night listening. What does one call a “page turner” in the age of audible? It’s that. Succinct, moving, interesting. Loved it.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Enthralling

I rarely listen to audio books and was so glad to have made the decision to listen to this one. Wonderful reading by Emma Lowe who delivered each character’s dialogue brilliantly.

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Surprise Ending

A lovely story. Just wish that the whole novel was as riveting as the ending.

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Joy & Sorrow

This story gripped me from start to finish. Donoghue's characters feel like family. It was impossible not to be elated by their small moments rising above the brutality of war and disease.

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Outstanding

Enjoyed the beautiful sad story, and the technical details of medicine at the time. Social commentary of the times was sobering.

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