C.A. Gray

Love the narrator!

Revisado: 08-19-23 El oyente recibió este título gratis

James really brings the story to life. Such an engaging voice and great character voices too!

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Not much there if just listening

Revisado: 03-04-23

I listened rather than read of course, while doing other things. Maybe that’s why I got so little out of it. I was hoping for concrete steps to strategizing.

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Very fun read!

Revisado: 05-20-18

Any fans of Jane Austen will love this book! Keyworth almost seemed to channel Austen in the language she uses, and the book is also set in 18th century Britain, and her description of society is almost exactly the same. More than once I thought it was an intentional retelling of Pride and Prejudice: Letty (like Elizabeth) is the spirited but poor and untitled lady with a frivolous mother-in-law (like Mrs. Bennett), and she immediately dislikes the wealthy and handsome Viscount Beuford (like Mr. Darcy) for his arrogance. He, on the other hand, is captivated by her wit, and despite her discouragement, proceeds to pursue her. 

There are a few rather major differences from Austen's famous story, though: as the title suggests, Letty is widowed. We meet her first husband only very briefly in the first chapter, and while he's a caricature of an abusive rake, he doesn't really need much depth for the purpose he serves in the story. Letty has a silly sister-in-law Theo (like Elizabeth Bennett's younger sister Lydia) but she doesn't play a huge role in the story, and she does have a plain friend Sophie (like Charlotte Lucas), though her role is more to give Letty a confidante than anything else. Letty's first husband's friend, Major Deverill (sp? I listened to the audio version of this story) takes her under his wing as her protector, even though he certainly could have played the love interest himself. (I wondered a few times why the relationship was so platonic, actually.) The main conflict toward the end involved Letty's first husband's gambling debts--and just as Mr. Darcy saves the Bennetts from disrepute, Viscount Beuford comes to Letty's rescue, having to tread carefully to avoid upsetting the delicate sensibilities of society in order to do so. 

Each chapter begins with a quote came from some famous work of literature or philosophy, and my first clue that the inspiration from this story might have been something other than Pride and Prejudice was one that came from the biblical book of Ruth. I did at that point notice that Letty's commitment to her mother-in-law was much like Ruth's commitment to Naomi, and the word 'redeemer' in the title did evoke the concept of the Kinsman Redeemer from Ruth. At the end of the book, the author states that The Widow's Redeemer was in fact meant to be a retelling of Ruth. I see it in hindsight--I guess the language and customs just evoke Austen so strongly that it was hard to see past the more obvious similarity. 

I often wish there were more Austen novels out there yet to discover, so I'll probably read more of Keyworth's work, in hopes that they will fill the void!

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Surprising!

Revisado: 05-18-18

I love retellings in general: they’re the perfect blend of something familiar and something unique. I know how the story should go (at least for the most part), but I’m constantly guessing what new twists this particular author is going to add. Woven was definitely full of twists, in many ways turning the tales upside down. No spoilers, but let’s just say that certain characters aren’t (only) who you think they are, nor are relationships between characters exactly what you’ve always heard them to be… and because we’re already in a world of magic, nearly anything is possible.

The story is told in third person limited, jumping around to different points of view—but primarily it bounces between Elaina (the Lady of Shalott), Sir Gareth, and Guinevere. Elaina and Mordred are lovers, well before Camelot’s time, and she becomes pregnant before her sister Morgan has her confined to her tower for her own protection. The Lady of Shalott pines away for unrequited love of Lancelot, or so we’ve been told… and this is both true, and not true in this story. Guinevere is unfaithful to King Arthur with Lancelot… which is also both true, and not true. Mordred and Arthur are said to be mortal enemies, and also father and son… which is true, but not in the same way you’ve always heard. The Lady of the Lake, the Sorceress Nimue, does imprison Merlin… but not for the reason you think. Moore even works in the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (only in this case it’s Sir Gareth). The way she weaves these familiar tales together (no pun intended) was delightful.

The story still ends the way the stories all end—it is a tragedy, after all, and generally I don’t like sad stories. But it’s kind of like going to see the film “Titanic”: you kind of know what you’re in for by the title, and to me, it’s somehow easier to take when I know it’s coming. The fun was figuring out how we’re going to get there this time around.

(One caution though: this story contains quite a few fairly descriptive rape scenes toward the end. I didn’t care for this part, but it didn’t bother me as much as it otherwise might, because it was really the only possible way I can think of to explain the story’s main twist. If this isn’t for you, though, I’d steer clear.)

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Gripping but overly gratuitous

Revisado: 11-16-17

Would have given it five stars if not for all the very detailed and sordid sexual descriptions. Definitely too much, and I probably won't read the rest because of them. But otherwise terrific.

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Gripping but overly gratuitous

Revisado: 11-16-17

Would have given it five stars if not for all the very detailed and sordid sexual descriptions. Definitely too much, and I probably won't read the rest because of them. But otherwise terrific.

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Ahhh! Soooo wonderful!

Revisado: 07-23-17

One of my favorites from childhood... I knew how it ended but I was still hanging on every word.

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Boring and gratuitous

Revisado: 06-22-17

I wasn't interested in this story until it was relentlessly marketed, and I like Claire Danes and I like dystopian so I thought I'd give it a try. Nothing much happens, and I lost interest but kept trying to give it longer until I got to some of the gratuitous and vulgar sex scenes. Then I stopped listening. It is well performed but an unpleasant listen. Save your money.

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