Lute Audiobook By Jennifer Thorne cover art

Lute

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Lute

By: Jennifer Thorne
Narrated by: Victoria Blunt
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Wicker Man meets Final Destination in Jennifer Thorne's atmospheric, unsettling folk horror novel about love, duty, and community.

On the idyllic island of Lute, every seventh summer, seven people die. No more, no less.

Lute and its inhabitants are blessed, year after year, with good weather, good health, and good fortune. They live a happy, superior life, untouched by the war that rages all around them. So it’s only fair that every seven years, on the day of the tithe, the island’s gift is honored.

Nina Treadway is new to The Day. A Florida girl by birth, she became a Lady through her marriage to Lord Treadway, whose family has long protected the island. Nina’s heard about The Day, of course. Heard about the horrific tragedies, the lives lost, but she doesn’t believe in it. It's all superstitious nonsense. Stories told to keep newcomers at bay and youngsters in line.

Then The Day begins. And it's a day of nightmares, of grief, of reckoning. But it is also a day of community. Of survival and strength. Of love, at its most pure and untamed. When The Day ends, Nina—and Lute—will never be the same.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Nightfire.

©2022 Jennifer Thorne (P)2022 Macmillan Audio Horror Supernatural Thriller & Suspense

Critic reviews

"Lute is an understated masterpiece of folk horror by Jennifer Thorne, an exceptionally talented new voice in the genre....Thorne’s prose is elegant in its simplicity, embracing a quiet minimalism that only enhances its sense of horror. Lute is a stunning achievement for an author new to the genre. This is the type of novel that will haunt you for years to come."—John Mauro, Grimdark Magazine

"Equally horrifying as it is beautiful, Lute will slip under your skin, haunting you until you've turned the very last page. Folk horror at its finest."—Kim Liggett, New York Times bestselling author of The Grace Year

"Lute is as alluring as it is terrifying. Thorne’s prose is exquisite, her storytelling masterful, the setting a haunting character in itself. I wanted to savor every passage, but I was desperate to see who the island would claim next. I devoured this book.”—Elle Cosimano, author of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead
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The island is a paradise. Not tropical but perfect all the same. The people of the island love the land and everything it offers them. But every seven years it comes at a price. Some most are willing to pay. Others not so much.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt for the characters that died, felt at peace with acceptance and rational philosophy of the main character Nina and marveled at how someone’s fear of death could turn them into a monster. Someone you don’t even recognize.

Lute

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The book is mildly entertaining, but I would hardly call it horror. Never once did I experience fear, although the townspeople were scared, their terror did not translate to me as I listened. .

Worth a credit

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Very engaged, the ending I really actually liked. Felt right. I’m not sure if I would listen again. Felt like a good one and done but I would recommend

Definitely a good listen

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A new author- could have had her editor tighten up the story- BUT- her language use if beautiful-and a smashing end!

Slow to unwind- but what a finish!

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one of the best, most engaging stories I've read. wonderfully written from an authentic perspective. I even bought the hard cover and I never do that.

awesome!

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It's an interesting storyline with dashes of insightful thoughts on life and its duration and some fun, vague mythology thrown in. There is some gore and some spice, but overall, it's solid.

Good slow burn mystery

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I really wanted to like this book. I like the idea of it, but the main character was incredibly shallow, annoying and unlikeable. I had to force myself to finish it

I wanted to like it

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Elderly & disabled people's lives are not worthless- this shitty, amateurish book definitely is tho.

Trash

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It’s a mediocre story full of plot holes and out-of-nowhere character choices. The narrator is awful, mispronouncing a number of words.

Mediocre but the narration was terrible.

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…Downton Abbey and Jennifer Armentrout’s writing style in From Blood and Ash then you will love this. Unfortunately I don’t like either and I couldn’t get through it fast enough.

If you like…

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