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Title details for Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy - Available

Whitethorn Woods

by Maeve Binchy
Various
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
“WHITETHORN WOODS is Binchy’s best read in a decade . . . Few contemporary novelists match Binchy’s gift for giving us the world through her characters’ eyes.”
–The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Maeve Binchy once again brings us an enchanting book full of the wit, warmth, and wisdom that have made her one of the most beloved and widely read writers at work today.
When a new highway threatens to bypass the town of Rossmore and cut through Whitethorn Woods, everyone has a passionate opinion about whether the town will benefit or suffer. But young Father Flynn is most concerned with the fate of St. Ann’s Well, which is set at the edge of the woods and slated for destruction. People have been coming to St. Ann’s for generations to share their dreams and fears, and to speak their prayers. Some believe it to be a place of true spiritual power, demanding protection; others think it’s a mere magnet for superstitions, easily sacrificed.
Not knowing which faction to favor, Father Flynn listens to all those caught up in the conflict, and these are the voices we hear in the stories of Whitethorn Woods–men and women deciding between the traditions of the past and the promises of the future, ordinary people brought vividly to life by Binchy’s generosity and empathy, and in the vivacity and surprise of her storytelling.
Maeve Binchy is at the very top of her form in this irresistible tale.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    March 27, 2007

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781415936702
      • File size: 369372 KB
      • Duration: 12:49:31

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Life changes for Rossmore, England, when a bypass threatens Whitethorn Woods, home to a local (unsanctified) religious shrine. At the center of the storm is Father Flynn, who listens to everyone while harboring his own doubts about the shrine's power. Paul Michael reads the chapters told by Father Flynn with conviction and empathy; his understated Irish brogue adds just the right touch of atmosphere. It also blends perfectly with the shades of accent used by Sile Bermingham, who reads the majority of the book with admirable clarity combined with obvious affection for the characters. Striving young couples, tired pensioners, worried farmers--they're all given convincing voice in this gentle, involving novel. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 8, 2007
      A proposed highway near the Irish town of Rossmore will mean the destruction of St. Ann's Well, a shrine in Whitethorn Woods thought to deliver healing, husbands and other miracles. The shrine resides in the parish of Fr. Brian Flynn, curate of St. Augustine's. As a fracas erupts between shrine skeptics who want the highway and shrine believers who want the shrine preserved, Flynn, unsure of where he stands on the issue and questioning his place in an increasingly secular Ireland, goes to the shrine and prays that he might "hear the voices that have come to you and know who these people are." Binchy (Tara Road
      ) goes on to deliver just that: a panoply of prosaic but richly drawn first-person characters, such as Neddy Nolan, a not-so-simple simpleton; 60-something Vera, who finds love on a singles trip meant for those much younger; and unassuming antiques magnate James, whose wife of 26 years is dying. Stories of greed, infidelity, mental illness, incest, the joys of being single, the struggles of modern career women, alcoholism, and the heartbreak of parenting span generations, simply and poignantly. Binchy takes it all in and orchestrates the whole masterfully. 400,000 announced first printing
      .

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Jenny Sterlin tenderly narrates Maeve Binchy's delightful story of townsfolk from an Irish village whose adored shrine to Saint Ann is threatened by developers from the city. Sterlin's range is highlighted as the chapters offer perspectives on the situation from different characters. Each character has a special connection to the shrine, and Sterlin is able to express all their emotions--from lightheartedness and hopefulness to frustration and grief. As the recording provides a seamless presentation, the contemporary story will inspire listeners to reflect upon the meaning of community, love, and faith. K.M.D. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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