The Winter Sea Audiobook By Susanna Kearsley cover art

The Winter Sea

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The Winter Sea

By: Susanna Kearsley
Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
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About this listen

History has all but forgotten...

In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.

Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.

But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

Please note: This novel has also been published under a different title: Sophia's Secret.

Please note, this title is the original recording, which is now known as Sophia's Secret

©2010 Susanna Kearsley (P)2011 Audible, Inc.
Fantasy Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Magical Realism Paranormal Paranormal Romance Romance Series Essentials Women's Fiction France Highlander Feel-Good Scotland
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Editorial reviews

When venturing into the historical fiction genre, I’m often drawn to specific, brief events that were either glossed over or left entirely out of the history books, as opposed to those that cover broad subjects that can be densely overwhelming. Given a subject like Henry XIII and his wives or Joan of Arc, both popular subjects of the genre, an author could easily lose an audience to an overwhelming amount of explanation and facts. Instead, Susanna Kearsley’s The Winter Sea offers a narrow, controlled exploration of a lesser known event, the 1708 Jacobite failed uprising by James Stewart against William of Orange and Mary Stewart to reclaim the throne. It is an enthralling story that makes the facts and descriptions of the people and places surrounding the uprising much more palatable and absorbing.

The Winter Sea also offers a unique narrative format. Main character and popular historical fiction novelist Carrie McClelland rents a cottage for the summer on the coast of Scotland, not far from Slain Castle (where she sets her story) and where the Jacobite uprising occurred centuries ago. Thus, The Winter Sea has two narratives: McClelland in present day Scotland, writing her novel; and McClelland’s novel, a work in progress detailing the Jacobite uprising in 1708 Scotland. Such a narrative format is fodder for narrator Rosalyn Landor, whose performance skillfully embodies the complex mind of a writer. Her voicing of Carrie is investigative, creative, imaginative, and discerning. Her deep, expressive tone allows her the versatility to voice the myriad supporting characters, both male and female, past and present. The dreamlike writing sequences of McClelland writing her novel really sing under Landor’s rendering. With Landor as a guide, it’s easy to lose yourself in The Winter Sea’s journey through Scotland and through history.

The Winter Sea confidently flourishes in the intrigue surrounding this political uprising, while also offering the accommodating narrative device of delivering the story through the mind of a writer. Kearsley and Landor together remind us that history does not have to get bogged down by the facts, but instead can be thrilling, suspenseful, and imaginative, especially when presented from a unique perspective. Suzanne Day

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Winner, Romance, 2012
"Rosalyn Landor provides delightful Scottish accents for many of the characters Carrie meets inside and outside her novel....Landor adds a poetic edge to her storytelling while at the same time giving a dreamy aura to the historical side of the story." ( Audiofile)

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What listeners say about The Winter Sea

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    3,915
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    2,160
  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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Performance
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Story
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    168

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Love it

This is one of those rather rare books that you know you will feel sad when it is ends . . . I have not finished it yet and am already missing the characters/friends who are so real that the setting just wrap around you and enfolds you in cozy warmth or wintry sea air. Beautifully and sensitively written . . . don't miss it. It's a story within a story and very thought-provoking as to the origins of the creative process. Very sweet and wonderfully narrated audiobook. Rosalyn Landor does a fabulous job creating the characters and moods. I can hardly put it down. I wish I could listen non-stop -- very engaging story(s). Some mighty strong and attractive male characters here and brainy women.

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53 people found this helpful

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

A little less than expected

I really wanted this story to delve more into the characters. I think it went too long sometimes on the historical aspects without the characters being involved. I didn't connect to the story and kept waiting for something bigger to happen. It never did. It was a long book that kind of went nowhere. The performance was good, but don't expect too much from this over-hyped book.

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6 people found this helpful

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

Good book but need your full attention

I enjoyed this book but all the jumping back and forth from past and present means you need to focus all your attention on this book. It is not something that can be listened to say as you are driving or you will probably get lost both in the book and on the road trying to concentrate on either one. Give it a chance but make sure you have time to dedicate just to the book.

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2 people found this helpful

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

A GREAT READ

THIS BOOK TAKES A LITTLE TIME TO GET INTO, BUT ONCE YOUR IN YOUR IN AND THE END IS WORTH WAITING FOR. I WOULD HAVE LIKED A LITTLE MORE WRITTEN ABOUT (CARRIES AND GRAHAMS RELATIONSHIP OR ROMANCE BUT THE ROMANCE OF THE BOOK SHE WAS WRITING WAS GREAT.
I HAVE READ ALL OF THE OVERLANDER SERIES AND I ADORE THEM - THIS BOOK IS NOT THE SAME AS THE OVERLANDER SERIES WHERE I FELT THE CHARACTERS BECOME LIKE PERSONAL FRIENDS BUT I FOUND IT VERY ENJOYABLE - I CHOSE THIS BOOK BECAUSE I HAVE LISTENED TO THE NARRATOR BEFORE AND I LIKE THE WAY SHE PRESENTS. AT FIRST SHE IS A LITTLE SLOW IN THIS ONE BUT PICKS UP AND IS MOST ENJOYABLE TO LISTEN TO. OVER ALL I REALLY DID ENJOY THIS BOOK - LAUGHED AND CRIED

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2 people found this helpful

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

Astoundingly predictable historical romance

Well-written, and the history was well researched, so I learned something, at least. Nicely narrated in different accents. But the story is so pedestrian that I forecast EVERY SINGLE TWIST, so not much fun.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Breathtakingly written and voiced.

once again Susanna weaves two romances- one in present day and one in the past. She puts in history - and description and it is like one is there.

Modern day author Carrie writes of Sophia during the first Jacobite attempt to bring King James to the throne.

the narrator beautifully transitions and uses a variety of voices - each one unique- with appropriate accent. A master!

the author made me weep at one point so eloquently does she put in emotion.

This is a powerful story which I highly recommend - reading AND listening to.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Beautiful Story!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It kept my attention throughout.
Loved the voices of the narrator.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Best book I have listened to since Outlander!

This is by far the best book that I have listened to since the Outlander series of books.! The narrator was AMAZING! The story has it all....history, romance, mystery, and an ending that you will NOT expect! I highly recommend this book to fans of Diana Gabaldon ! You won't be disappointed!

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

well writen

What made the experience of listening to The Winter Sea the most enjoyable?

the story line is great.

Who was your favorite character and why?

everyone, except that damn gardner, but he got his so I was happy.

What does Rosalyn Landor bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

she brought the story to life.

Any additional comments?

even if you have no Scottish ancesters you will enjoy this book.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Wonderful!

What a great story! I was so impressed with the creative way this book was done! I got two stories so cleverly ribboned and was smiling at the beauty of it at the end.

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1 person found this helpful