
The Flight of Gemma Hardy
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Davina Porter
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By:
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Margot Livesey
About this listen
Fate has not been kind to Gemma Hardy. Orphaned, then neglected, young Gemma seemed destined for a life of hardship and loneliness. Yet her bright spirit burns strong. Fiercely intelligent, singularly determined, Gemma overcomes each challenge and setback, growing stronger and more certain of her path.
Now an independent young woman, she accepts a position as an au pair on the remote and beautiful Orkney Islands. Blackbird Hall belongs to Mr. Hugh Sinclair, a London businessman; his eight-year-old niece is Gemma’s charge. Even before their first meeting, Gemma is, like everyone on the island, intrigued by Mr. Sinclair. An unlikely couple, the two are drawn to each other, but Gemma’s biggest trial is about to begin… a journey of passion and betrayal, secrets and lies, redemption and discovery will lead her to a life she’s never dreamed of.
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Critic reviews
Good, but..
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Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
Hmm i'm really on the fence. I love Jane Eyre, the story this is loosely based on, and it really missed the mark. I've read several other Jane Eyre spinoffs and this isn't my favorite.What could Margot Livesey have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
No spoilers but one of the big plot points in the original Jane Eyre is an 'insuperable barrier" that separates the couple. I was waiting all book to see what it would be. The big secret. And when i finally got there, it was a huge disappointed. I thought "really, she is leaving him over this?!!" It felt forced. Like the author was trying to be inventive but then just made up an issue that she hoped would be believable. And it wasn't. It was a poor man's Jane Eyre and I'd rather just read the original again.Which character – as performed by Davina Porter – was your favorite?
Young GemmaDo you think The Flight of Gemma Hardy needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No, it was enough.It wants to be Jane Eyre but fails.
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f you loved Jane Eyre, you will like this novel.
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It's not very original, but I don't think the author was going for original.
It is Jane Eyre
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Both fresh and familiar
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A journey in a life
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So Good
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Where does The Flight of Gemma Hardy rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?
It is a different genre from what I normally read, but I certainly enjoyed it.Who was your favorite character and why?
Of course, Gemma, with her doggedness to just go on.Have you listened to any of Davina Porter???s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Yes, Davina Porter is a favorite narrator. I read the book first and enjoyed the story enough that I wanted to hear Davina Porter read it. She is excellent.If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
?Any additional comments?
No.Good Summer (now Fall) Read
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Emotional retelling of a classic
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Generally, I enjoyed The Flight of Gemma Hardy. I found Gemma to be a strong character, interesting in her solitude and hardship. I like that we are given the full picture of her childhood years - her time with her aunt and uncle, her time at the Claypool school. And then what follows. While it is supposed to be a redo of Jane Eyre (and I confess that I have not read that novel, although I have seen the movie), I think the later chapters do not follow it as closely. But that's OK.
I do take issue with a couple of specific things that I won't mention because they are spoilerish. And I found the ending to be rather anti-climactic and somewhat abrupt. But I do like the book enough to recommend it.
Enjoyable Enough
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