Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

A Northern Light

By: Jennifer Donnelly
Narrated by: Hope Davis
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $13.46

Buy for $13.46

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Mattie Gokey has a word for everything. She collects words, stores them up as a way of fending off the hard truths of her life, the truths that she can't write down in stories.

The fresh pain of her mother's death. The burden of raising her sisters while her father struggles over his brokeback farm. The mad welter of feelings Mattie has for handsome but dull Royal Loomis, who says he wants to marry her. And the secret dreams that keep her going: visions of finishing high school, going to college in New York City, becoming a writer.

Yet when the drowned body of a young woman turns up at the hotel where Mattie works, all her words are useless. But in the dead woman's letters, Mattie again finds her voice, and a determination to live her own life.

Set in 1906 against the backdrop of the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, this coming-of-age novel effortlessly weaves romance, history and a murder mystery into something moving, and real, and wholly original.

©2003 Jennifer Donnelly (P)2003 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of Random House Audio Publishing Group
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"Donnelly's characters ring true to life, and the meticulously described setting forms a vivid backdrop to this finely crafted story. An outstanding choice for historical-fiction fans." (School Library Journal)
"In an intelligent, colloquial voice that speaks with a writer's love of language and an observant eye, Mattie details the physical particulars of people's lives as well as deeper issues of race, class, and gender...Many teens will connect with Mattie's deep yearning for independence and for stories, like her own, that are frank, messy, complicated, and inspiring." (Booklist)

What listeners say about A Northern Light

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    165
  • 4 Stars
    98
  • 3 Stars
    39
  • 2 Stars
    13
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    134
  • 4 Stars
    54
  • 3 Stars
    20
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    127
  • 4 Stars
    53
  • 3 Stars
    28
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

a northern light

This is the best book I have listened to in years. Would like to hear more of her stories.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well written and well narrated.

This was Definitely worth the read. Sad but thoughtful. Descriptive and good character development. Tragic story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gilded Age Honesty

This was a great story, historical fiction set in a wonderful and realistic Adirondack setting. Truly enjoyable.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed A Northern Light Immensely

I raced through this book. Donnelly has a lovely writing style and I'll be looking into her other books. The narration is excellent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Good listen

I loved this book. It has enough mystery and intrigue to keep the adult listenter interested, but is also suitable for the younger listener as well. Highly enjoyable.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent !

A wonderful coming-of-age story incorporating a true-life crime as a backdrop. Hope Davis reads this beautifully.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

enjoyable

This book was a little hard to get into at first, but I found it enjoyable after the first hour or so. I also felt like a lot of the story was a rip off of Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. Even so, it was still a good read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Prequel to Jane Austen's "Persuasion"

An intelligent, thoughtful, warm, caring treatise on life, promises and possiblities.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A Northern Light

I will start with the positive. I really liked the Historical aspect. And that alot of the story is based on true events. I did not give a Great rating. mostly due to the Narrator, almost had to stop several times. Will Not listen to this Narrator again!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Nice

Everybody in this novel felt so real. It was very well done, very entertaining. Highly recommend

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!