
The River King
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Narrated by:
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Laural Merlington
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By:
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Alice Hoffman
About this listen
The lives of everyone involved are unraveled, from Carlin Leander, the 15-year-old girl who is as loyal as she is proud, to Betsy Chase, a woman running from her own destiny; from August Pierce, a boy who unexpectedly finds courage in his darkest hour; to Abel Grey, the police officer who refuses to let unspeakable actions - both past and present - slide by without notice.
Entertainment Weekly has declared that Alice Hoffman's worlds are "replete with miracles", and The Boston Globe has praised her "iridescent prose, taut narrative suspense, and alluring atmosphere". Now she brings us a novel as compelling as it is daring, an exploration of forgiveness and hope, a wondrous tale of innocence and evil, and of the secrets we keep.
©2005 Alice Hoffman (P)2005 Brilliance Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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An exquisite story about love and libraries.
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Amazing book - I listened twice!
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An enchanting story
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-
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An exquisite story about love and libraries.
- By Lori A Benson on 09-26-23
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The Red Garden
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Overall
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Performance
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From the town’s founder, a brave young woman from England who has no fear of blizzards or bears, to the young man who runs away to New York City, the characters in The Red Garden are extraordinary and vivid: a young wounded Civil War soldier who is saved by a neighbor, a woman who meets a fiercely human historical character, a poet who falls in love with a blind man, a mysterious traveler who comes to town in the year when summer never arrives.
-
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Amazing book - I listened twice!
- By Rachelle on 03-19-11
By: Alice Hoffman
-
Faithful
- A Novel
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Amber Tamblyn
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend's future is destroyed in an accident while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt. What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor filled with emotion, from dark suffering to true happiness - a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world.
-
-
Lovely
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By: Alice Hoffman
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The Probable Future
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- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, Jenny, can see people's dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has a mental window to the future - a future that she might not want to see.
-
-
Nice, gentle story for when you feel bad.
- By Anonymous User on 05-28-17
By: Alice Hoffman
-
The Marriage of Opposites
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Gloria Reuben, Tina Benko, Santino Fontana, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
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Story
Growing up on idyllic St. Thomas in the early 1800s, Rachel dreams of life in faraway Paris. Rachel's mother, a pillar of their small refugee community of Jews who escaped the Inquisition, has never forgiven her daughter for being a difficult girl who refuses to live by the rules. Growing up, Rachel's salvation is their maid Adelle's belief in her strengths and her deep, lifelong friendship with Jestine, Adelle's daughter. But Rachel's life is not her own.
-
-
Intoxicating and Complex Journey
- By Mel on 09-02-15
By: Alice Hoffman
-
Turtle Moon
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Sandra Burr
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Turtle Moon transports the listener to Verity, Florida, a place where anything can happen during the month of May, when migrating sea turtles come to town, mistaking the glow of the streetlights for the moon. A young single mother is murdered in her apartment and her baby is gone. Keith, a 12-year-old boy in the same apartment building also disappears. In pursuit of the baby, the boy and the killer, are Keith's divorced mother and a cop who himself was once considered the meanest boy in town.
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An enchanting story
- By A.J. on 05-09-11
By: Alice Hoffman
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Be careful what you wish for. A woman who was touched by tragedy as a child now lives a quiet life, keeping other people at a cool distance. She even believes she wants it that way. Then one day, she utters an idle wish and, while standing in her house, is struck by lightning. But instead of ending her life, this cataclysmic event sparks a strange and powerful new beginning. She goes in search of Lazarus Jones, a fellow survivor who was struck dead, then simply got up and walked away. Perhaps this stranger who has seen death face-to-face can teach her to live without fear.
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Extremely distracting background music
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By: Alice Hoffman
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Each of three sisters—Elv, Claire, and Meg—has a fate she must meet alone: one on a country road, one in the streets of Paris, and one in the corridors of her own imagination. Inhabiting their world are a charismatic man who cannot tell the truth, a neighbor who is not who he appears to be, a clumsy boy in Paris who falls in love and stays there, a detective who finds his heart's desire, and a demon who will not let go. What does a mother do when one of her children goes astray? How does she save one daughter without sacrificing the others?
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The tragic story....
- By Gloripb on 08-06-09
By: Alice Hoffman
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Blackbird House
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In a rare and gorgeous departure, beloved novelist Alice Hoffman weaves a web of tales, all set in Blackbird House. This small farm on the outer reaches of Cape Cod is a place that is as bewitching and alive as the characters we meet. These interconnected narratives are as intelligent as they are haunting, as luminous as they are unusual. Inside Blackbird House more than a dozen men and women learn how love transforms us and how it is the one lasting element in our lives.
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short stories
- By Kristina on 08-10-17
By: Alice Hoffman
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The Museum of Extraordinary Things
- A Novel
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Coney Island: Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a boardwalk freak show that amazes and stimulates the crowds. An exceptional swimmer, Coralie appears as the Mermaid in her father's "museum", alongside performers like the Wolfman, the Butterfly Girl, and a 100-year-old turtle. One night Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man photographing moonlit trees in the woods off the Hudson River.
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Captivating historical fiction+Hoffman interview!
- By Brendolynne on 06-04-14
By: Alice Hoffman
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Skylight Confessions
- A Novel
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Mare Winningham
- Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
On the night her father dies, Arlyn is certain that the man she is meant to be with will walk into her life, but fate seems to be playing a trick when John Moody knocks on her door to ask for directions. Cool, practical, and deliberate, John is dreamy Arlyn's polar opposite. Yet the two are drawn powerfully together even when it is clear they are bound to bring each other grief.
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I really enjoyed this book
- By Kmb on 03-30-07
By: Alice Hoffman
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Magic Lessons
- A Prequel to Practical Magic
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Sutton Foster
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Nameless Arts". Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
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Alice Hoffman Never Disappoints
- By Elle Estee on 10-07-20
By: Alice Hoffman
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The Third Angel
- A Novel
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Nancy Travis
- Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Headstrong Madeleine Heller finds herself hopelessly attracted to her sister’s fiancé. Frieda Lewis, a doctor’s daughter and a runaway, becomes the muse of an ill-fated rock star. And beautiful Bryn Evans is set to marry an Englishman while secretly obsessed with her ex-husband. At the heart of the novel is Lucy Green, who blames herself for a tragic accident she witnessed at the age of 12, and who spends four decades searching for the Third Angel - the angel on Earth who will renew her faith.
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Stellar Novel by Hoffman Once Again
- By lil' old me on 07-29-16
By: Alice Hoffman
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The Dovekeepers
- A Novel
- By: Alice Hoffman, Heather Lind
- Narrated by: Aya Cash, Jessica Hecht, Tovah Feldshuh
- Length: 19 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Over five years in the writing, Alice Hoffman’s most ambitious and mesmerizing work ever, a triumph of imagination and research set in ancient Israel. The author of such iconic bestsellers as Illumination Night, Practical Magic, Fortune’s Daughter, and Oprah’s Book Club selection Here on Earth, Alice Hoffman is one of the most popular and memorable writers of her generation. Now, in The Dovekeepers, Hoffman delivers her most masterful work yet - one that draws on her passion for mythology, magic, and archaeology and her inimitable understanding of women.
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Grade of B-
- By FanB14 on 06-29-12
By: Alice Hoffman, and others
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The Bookstore Sisters
- The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Isabel Gibson has all but perfected the art of forgetting. She’s a New Yorker now, with nothing left to tie her to Brinkley’s Island, Maine. Her parents are gone, the family bookstore is all but bankrupt, and her sister, Sophie, will probably never speak to her again. But when a mysterious letter arrives in her mailbox, Isabel feels herself drawn to the past. After years of fighting for her independence, she dreads the thought of going back to the island.
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The Bookstore Sisters
- By GSmith on 11-21-22
By: Alice Hoffman
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The World That We Knew
- A Novel
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Judith Light
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
At the time when the world changed, Hanni Kohn knows she must send her 12-year-old daughter away to save her from the Nazi regime. Her desperation leads her to Ettie, the daughter of a rabbi whose years spent eavesdropping on her father enables her to create a mystical Jewish creature, a rare and unusual golem, who is sworn to protect Hanni’s daughter, Lea.
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Not Her Best
- By Phyllis on 10-05-19
By: Alice Hoffman
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Everything My Mother Taught Me
- Inheritance collection
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this haunting short story of loyalty and betrayal, a young woman in early 1900s Massachusetts discovers that in navigating her treacherous coming-of-age, she must find her voice first. For fatefully observant Adeline, growing up carries an ominous warning from her adulterous mother: don’t say a word. Adeline vows to never speak again. But that’s not her only secret. After her mother takes a housekeeping job at a lighthouse off the tip of Cape Ann, a local woman vanishes. The key to the mystery lies with Adeline, the silent witness.
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This story is incredible
- By Shumpie on 02-01-20
By: Alice Hoffman
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Blue Diary
- By: Alice Hoffman
- Narrated by: Joyce Bean
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
When Ethan Ford fails to show up for work on a brilliant summer morning, none of his neighbors would guess that, for more than 13 years, he has been running from his past. His true nature has been locked away, as hidden as his real identity. But sometimes locks spring open, and the devastating truths of Ethan Ford's history shatter the small-town peace of Monroe, affecting family and friends alike.
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Medetation on consequences of secrets revealed
- By Lora S. on 10-13-17
By: Alice Hoffman
Critic reviews
What listeners say about The River King
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Cynthia Wirth
- 01-18-21
Speedy narrator!
The performance was good, but ridiculously fast! I had to slow it down to 80% to be able to enjoy it.
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- Jamie
- 08-09-19
narrator..... NOPE!!!!
She spoke way too fast. I'm such a fan of Alice Hoffman that I didn't bother with a sample of the audio. so far this is the only book I've returned in almost 2 years.
I'll have to buy the real book.
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- Tracy Walters
- 04-26-12
This book is on my own personal Top 10 List....
....of all the books I have ever read. I adore this book and I love the way Alice Hoffman writes. This book was the second book I read of hers and I was blown away by her prose...the way she used nature throughout the book to pull the story together....she makes you feel as though you could see and smell the flowers and green grass....feel the rain or dew.....the bitter cold of winter.....the warmth of spring breezes....she is an amazing writer and this story made me fall in love with her writings and will be a forever fan!..
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3 people found this helpful
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- G Bunting
- 02-27-23
Another Gem
Another gem from Alice Hoffman. I was so taken by these characters and this story. Narration was spot on as well.
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- C & C
- 01-02-23
Good read
Nice soothing narration. Good story. Another charming take from Alice Hoffman. Would recommend to friends and family
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- Anonymous User
- 04-18-23
The River King
I Love this story. I spent the day listening to it again. I enjoy the haunting stories and the romances with a little murder thrown in for interest.
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- G2 AYNE
- 06-18-19
TERRIBLE NARRATION
SKIP THIS AUDIO. LAUREL MERLINGHAM HAS NO IDEA HOW TO READ A BOOK. TO PLACE ALICE HOFFMAN'S BEAUTIFUL PROSE INTO HER HANDS IS A TRAVESTY. SAVE YOURSELF THE CREDIT AND GO CHECK THIS OUT AT YOUR LIBRARY OR BOOKSTORE.
NARRATION: SINGSONG BREATHINESS MIXED WITH SEGMENTS SO LOW YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MS. MERLINGHAM IS SAYING., WORSE, EVEN TURNING DOWN THE SPEED, THE TEXT IS READ SO FAST YOU DO NOT GET TO LINGER OVER THE WORDS, PHRASES, PARAGRAPHS THAT MAKE ALICE HOFFMAN'S WORKS SPECIAL. IT FELT CARTOONISH AND SO WRONG FOR THIS WORK.
GRADING IT AN 'F' IN ALL CATEGORIES. BACK TO THE HARDBACK.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kimberly
- 02-01-13
The narration speed was horrible !
Would you try another book from Alice Hoffman and/or Laural Merlington?
Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors. She has a wonderful way of bring stories to life with just the right touch of supernatural. I have read almost all of her books and was excited to listen to this older book by her. Her newer titles are read by other narrators, including Nancy Travis who I really enjoy. The narration by Laural Merlington was horrible here. The speed was impossibly fast. I would have listened to it at 1/2 speed but the sound was so distorted that way. There were no pauses at the end of paragraphs or chapters. In the end, I gave up on listening to this book and only listened to a few chapters in. I was very disappointed in this audiobook.
Would you be willing to try another one of Laural Merlington’s performances?
Probably not.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Elizabeth Abruzzo
- 02-01-09
Just Ok.
The beginning was interesting, but overall it felt prose-heavy and plot-light. It meandered.
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1 person found this helpful