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Title: The Sealed Letter
Author: Emma Donoghue
Narrator: Charlotte Strevens
Format: Unabridged
Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
Language: English
Release date: 05-15-12
Publisher: Macmillan Digital Audio
Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 12 votes
Genres: Fiction, Historical
Publisher's Summary:
From the bestselling author of Room comes a delicious tale of secrets, betrayal and forbidden love The Sealed Letter is a page-turner with a jaw-dropping ending.(Stylist)
Helen Codrington is unhappily married. Emily Fido Faithfull hasnt seen her once-dear friend for years. Suddenly, after bumping into Helen on the streets of Victorian London, Fido finds herself reluctantly helping Helen to have an affair with a young army officer. The womens friendship quickly unravels amid courtroom accusations of adultery, counter-accusations of cruelty and attempted rape, and the appearance of a mysterious sealed letter that could destroy more than one life Based on a real-life scandal that gripped England in 1864, The Sealed Letter is a delicious tale of secrets, betrayal, and forbidden love.
Critic Reviews:
"Very enjoyable." (Independent on Sunday)
"Briskly written, deftly plotted and nicely ironic." (Guardian)
"Blissfully readable." (The Times)
Members Reviews:
A bit annoying
Full marks to Emma Donoghue for her scholarship, but it's not much of a story. The characters, as depicted are a bunch of extremely annoying twits. I found the depiction of Fido as a naïve, drippy, romantic, particularly irritating. I've read my share of Braddon and Collins, and I didn't find the simpering dialogue authentic for the period, just a bit condescending towards lesbians and their straight girl crushes. I suspect Fido would be turning in her grave, if such things were possible.
So, so good
I was attracted to this book because I really enjoyed listening to Room by the same author. At first, I wasn't sure I would find the subject matter too compelling but the characters are so beautifully crafted and the storyline is interesting. The book is very well researched, as becomes obvious in the afterword, and Emma Donoghue used the research to create a detailed and fascinating picture of the daily lives and larger events in the year 1864. Judging by the information freely available about Fido Faithful and the Codringtons, the author has remained true to real events and brought them and the times they occurred in, beautifully to life. The narrator is also excellent and conveys the different characters and their foibles in fine subtlety.
Change the narrator-I lasted 15 minutes
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
Another narrator
What was most disappointing about Emma Donoghues story?
The narrator ruined it all
How could the performance have been better?
I wish Stephen Fry could have read this. Yes, Isay that
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Sealed Letter?
None.
Any additional comments?
I want to be able to read this, but no!
Wasted 12 hours of my life listening to this
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
A better story, better written.
What was most disappointing about Emma Donoghues story?
The story lacked any suspense or pace. I was expecting a gripping courtroom drama based on a true story, but instead it was dreary tale of dreary people with whom I had no sympathy or interest.
What three words best describe Charlotte Strevenss voice?
Charlotte's voice was interesting and clear and the story was well read; just a shame she had to read this one.
