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Thornyhold
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
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Thornyhold
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Publisher's Summary
Mary Stewart's storytelling is as spellbinding as ever in her 12th novel, a Gothic romance featuring sparkling prose, delightful characterisation and classic intrigue.
The rambling house called Thornyhold is like something out of a fairy tale. Left to Gilly Ramsey by the cousin whose occasional visits brightened her childhood, the cottage, set deep in a wild wood, has come just in time to save her from a bleak future. With its reputation for magic and its resident black cat, Thornyhold offers Gilly more than just a new home. It offers her a chance to start over.
The old house, with its tufts of rosy houseleek and the spreading gilt of the lichens, was beautiful. Even the prisoning hedges were beautiful, protective with their rusty thorns, their bastions of holly and juniper, and at the corners, like towers, their thick columns of yews.
What the critics say
"A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I'd rather read her than most other authors." (Harriet Evans)
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What listeners say about Thornyhold
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Rob Andres
- 2022-01-24
my adored childhood favorite author
I loved Mary Stewart's books when I was a kid and I still enjoy them today. I hadn't read this one! before. I'm so glad I found them on audible.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rei
- 2021-08-26
A favourite story
This is one of my favourite books, and delightful to listen to after having read it many times. The audio performance is okay. Takes some getting used to, and isn’t as good when it comes to the male character bits. This book definitely would have benefited from a full cast reading. But still, it’s very enjoyable.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mary B.
- 2019-11-11
Dreadful narrator
The narrator, Jilly Bond, is dreadful. Doesn't anyone at the publisher or Audible review these recordings?
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ann
- 2019-11-21
So Disappointed!
This is one of my favorite Mary Stewart books and I couldn’t wait for an unabridged audio version to be released. The narrator really bothered me! I found I got somewhat used to her voice for Gaelis by telling myself “this is an old lady retelling her love story,” but I cringed every time William or Christopher John spoke.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- SusieQ
- 2019-11-09
Narrator is awful
Looked forward to this book, but the narrator is awful, and truth be told, the story isn't as good as I remember. In 25 years I think my taste has changed a great deal. I have requested they add Victoria Holt THE INDIA FAN, and if they do, I hope the narrator does it justice
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 2020-04-29
Thornyhold
One of my favorite Mary Stewart novels. I thought the reader was very good. I almost didn't buy this because of the negative reviews about the reader. I am so glad I did. A lovely story!
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ree
- 2019-12-04
Glorious
A marvelous, beautiful, witchy autumn story about a young woman from a difficult childhood finding new life when her elderly second cousin, a renowned white witch with a bit of a Mary Poppins vibe, leaves her beautiful cottage to her deep in the woods of Westermain in post-war England. Thornyhold is a gentle, lovely story that’s a bit of mystery, a bit of romance, and a bit of magic all woven together without leaning too hard into any of them. Though written long before the cozy genre boom, Thornyhold fits nicely into that category. It’s a light, feel-good story with a lot of heart, humor, and beauty. I read it every autumn without fail.
Excellent narration.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2020-05-11
My favorite Mary Stewart so far
It’s a bit slow on the romance at the start, but I didn’t mind that. I loved Gilly and her aunt and all the little features of her life. She’s such a kindhearted and intelligent heroine and Jilly Bond brings her to life so well. This is a wonderfully cozy read. Recommended for winter nights or summer afternoons... or anytime you want a comforting friend.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 2021-11-10
Most enjoyable!
Delightful tale! Jilly Bond is one of my favorite narrators! Her usage of different voice tones brings each character perfectly to life ! I always try to find books with her naration.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- justkeepswimming
- 2020-03-07
Entertaining
This story is told by a grandmother looking back on her earlier years. She was an unhappy child who grew into a confident, wise woman in later life with the help of an eccentric aunt.
All the Stewart familiars are there, lonely children, animals in need, and historic context with supernatural implications. I liked the book which dealt more with the characters’ psychological and personal motivations and insights rather than overly sensual romance. It is a kind of coming of age and personal growth story which made it a little deeper than her usual story.
I thought the narrator’s voice was appropriate for the story which is told about events that happened many years prior. She had a nice tone which was easy to listen to for me. I did not like her voice of the male love interest, but he does not say much so it was not much of a distraction. The rest of her voices seemed fine to me. I combined reading and listening to the book and heard some parts twice. It is a book I may pick up again in the future either to listen or to read.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Eileen
- 2019-11-12
NOT Mary Stewart's best
I stuck it out to the end, because I hate to leave any story unfinished. However, this book was a big disappointment. It was slow, and much of it dreary. I didn't care for the narration. The characters were pretty interesting. If I had known what I know now, I would have bought the abridged version narrated by Jenny Agutter.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jan
- 2022-10-06
Bad narrator ruins a lovely book
This sweet little story has been a favorite of mine for years on end, and I was delighted to finally find it available here - the narrator nearly ruins it though. A literary injustice has done to all who rely on the audio versions of books to access the stories.
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1 person found this helpful