A Northern Light Audiobook By Jennifer Donnelly cover art

A Northern Light

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A Northern Light

By: Jennifer Donnelly
Narrated by: Hope Davis
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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 Crime Death & Dying Difficult Situations Fiction Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Murder Mysteries & Detectives Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Romance Romantic Suspense Thrillers & Suspense Mystery Heartfelt Historic Family Mystery

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)

Engaging Story • Realistic Setting • Excellent Narration • Well-written Fiction • Moving Plot • Terrific Performance
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This was Definitely worth the read. Sad but thoughtful. Descriptive and good character development. Tragic story.

Well written and well narrated.

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

Gilded Age Honesty

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

Enjoyed A Northern Light Immensely

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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.

Good listen

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

Excellent !

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

a northern light

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I love the fact, that Jennifer writes, in the view of a woman and make them strong and not give up! Making a stand, Making young women, that, we can be anything, just never give up!!

The fact that it takes faith inside, the ability to stand tall as women!!

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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.

enjoyable

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

Prequel to Jane Austen's "Persuasion"

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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!!

A Northern Light

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