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    Women of the Dunes: A Novel
    Women of the Dunes: A Novel
    Women of the Dunes: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    Women of the Dunes: A Novel

    Written by Sarah Maine

    Narrated by Ruth Urquhart

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    From the author of the acclaimed novels The House Between Tides and Beyond the Wild River, a rich, atmospheric tale set on the sea-lashed coast of west Scotland, in which the lives of a ninth-century Norsewoman, a nineteenth-century woman, and a twenty-first-century archaeologist weave together after a body is discovered in the dunes.

    Libby Snow has always felt the pull of Ullaness-a lush Scottish island enshrouded in myth and deeply important to her family. Her great-great-grandmother Ellen was obsessed with the strange legend of Ulla, a Viking maiden who washed up on shore with the nearly lifeless body of her husband-and who inspired countless epic poems and the island's name.

    Central to the mystery is an ornate chalice and Libby, an archaeologist, finally has permission to excavate the site where Ulla is believed to have lived. But what Libby finds in the ancient dunes is a body from the Victorian era, clearly murdered . . . and potentially connected to Ellen.

    What unfolds is an epic story that spans centuries, with Libby mining Ellen and Ulla's stories for clues about the body, and in doing so, discovering the darker threads that bind all three women together across history.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 24, 2018
    ISBN9781977389572
    Author

    Sarah Maine

    Sarah Maine was born in England but grew up partly in Canada before returning to the United Kingdom, where she now lives. She is the author of The House Between Tides, Beyond the Wild River, and Women of the Dunes.

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    Reviews for Women of the Dunes

    4/5

    55 ratings7 reviews

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    • 3/5
      The story is well written, with a nice blend of mystery, suspense, and human connection. I recommend the e-book rather than the audiobook, because the voice chosen for Libby makes her character sound weak, and takes away from her credibility as a scientist.
    • 5/5
      At first i had to slow the audio to .8 bc i had trouble understanding the accents! But soon i was at full speed and loving it! This story hit all my favorite elements: location-specific detail ( coasts of Scotland & Nefoundland!!), historical, and mythical. Well written, well-crafted, not dumbed down or frivolous... highly recommended. Enjoy!
    • 4/5
      Women of the dunes by Sarah Maine
      (Scribd audiobook ). A surprisingly well written story of three interconnected women and a specific area of Scotland. The woman are comprised of one from ninth century norse woman , a nineteenth century woman and a twenty first century archaeologist. By artfully interweaving their stories throughout the book , the story of their interconnectedness emerges. Very interesting story. I’d recommend.
    • 1/5
      DNF about 60%

      I enjoyed the historical mystery aspect of this book, but I didn't realize how prominent the modern-day romance plot (I'm not sure I can even call it a subplot) was going to be. This would probably have annoyed me a bit but not stopped me from finishing it, except that I really disliked the love interest, Rodri. At this point in my life, when I see a male character who's an asshole (and a little bit sexist), I just cannot care about his hidden soft side, his dead wife, or the reasons why he's secretly sad and it's actually completely understandable that he's kind of an asshole (and sexist).
    • 4/5
      Women of the Dunes by Sarah Maine is a 2018 Atria Books publication. “Perhaps that’s what a legend is, a memory preserved over many generations”What a fascinating and thought- provoking Scottish tale spanning centuries and generations, examining legends, the truth behind them, and the way history tends to repeat itself. Libby and her university team have arrived on Ullanessm Island for the summer to work on an excavation project. For Libby, the trip is just as personal as it is professional. Her great- great grandmother once lived on Sturrock estate, as a service worker. The past timelines, beginning in the 9th century, reveal adultery, scandal, trials of faith, forbidden love, and the makings of legends. Those legends, passed down through the years, has an enormous impact on Ellen, a servant girl in the 19th century. Once more a love triangle emerges, and a man of God questions his faith, while more doubt is cast on lineage and heritage, and eventually leads the reader to Libby. As Libby works closely with the Sturrock family, she finds herself embroiled in their unconventional family dramas, where once more, scandal, lies, and greed brings the legends and myths of old, full circle, while adding and creating their own contemporary legends, sure to be pondered on and investigated by future generations. While the pacing of the story slowly connects the three timelines, it is seamless and easy to follow, and so full of drama, angst, and tension it was hard to put the book aside for any length of time. The vivid Scottish scenery helps to create the rich atmosphere of the novel, combining historical details in with present day analogies. I love legends, myths, folklore, and stories that are passed down from generation to generation. As is demonstrated here, the stories don’t always represent the whole truth, but, they allow us a portal to the past, and has a way of connecting families. But, one must wonder at the validity of the legends, how much truth is blended with embellishments, or if the legends were censured or exaggerated to conceal a scandal, or to protect someone, thus adding a quality of mystery and intrigue to be guessed at and debated for many generations to come. 4 stars
    • 5/5
      Libby Snow is a archaeologist's assistant and lands the dig of her dreams. She’s always had a pull and desire to see the area in Scotland where her ancestor Ellen McDonald lived, a place called Ullaness near the Scottish seaside. There is myth, legend, murder, and secrecy about the area. Now Libby has a chance to search through the old ruins where her ancestor lived and the ancient monk's cell where Ulla lived as well.Ulla was an 8th century Norsewoman who arrived on Scottish shore with her wounded lover Harald. A monk tended to Harald, all the while disapproving of Ulla’s views on spirituality. Quite lively discussions there.  Her grandmother shared stories with Libby about Ellen and her obsession with Ulla & the myth surrounding her life and death.The bones uncovered at first aren't as ancient as expected.  They belong to a man from the 1900's era.  So now we have a possible murder victim which complicates matters.  The police are brought in and the archaeological dig may be in jeopardy.The main focus of the book is present time with Libby Snow and the Sturrock family, but we do drift into Ellen’s time and see her side of things back in the 1890’s. That's quite an eye opener and solves a few mysteries for the reader, but alas, not for Libby Snow or the Sturrock family who own the land.  There are sporadic chapters for Ulla’s story and thus, the characters of Ellen, Libby and Ulla intertwine.Told in dual time lines I found the book to be very engaging. The scenery descriptions are wonderful and make me want to visit Scotland. It’s been on the bucket list for many a year but to bring this beautiful scenery alive with such vivid description – perfect. There is a rustic house, an inheritance, a mystery and a sprinkle of romantic attraction here – what’s not to love.This put me in mind of Mary Stewart novels and I very much enjoyed the book. I’d like to read more by Sarah Maines.This was a foodie book for sure. An eclectic team of folks make up a catering business that doesn’t have a main part or focus in the book but the food is mentioned quite a bit.To name a few: Fish and chips, lots of tea, sconesQuiche, smoked cheeses, smoked fish, jams and fancies, bread, picklesBrown bread and smoked salmon and SancerreCasserole and apple pie, fishcakes & fresh peasI wanted fish and chips so badly when I read this so, we improvised and used Panko with our fish strips. So. Good. I did have oven roasted potatoes one night but went with my favorite roasted sweet potato another evening.Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. My opinions are mine, nice and not so nice, and I was not compensated for my review.
    • 4/5
      I wish I had read this about a month earlier during the time I was visiting Scotland because it would have made a wonderful story even better! Sarah Maine has written an engrossing tale of an old Scottish myth, complete with a dig for buried treasure, a budding romance, murder and mystery.The story centers around Libby Snow, a young archaeologist who becomes involved in an excavation on a Scottish island that also has a connection to her own family history.The story is told in the form of three different time periods, slowly weaving the ancient legend together and revealing the truth about the past.I looked forward to reading this each day and it is definitely one of my favorite reads this year. It had everything to offer that I love about historical fiction. Mystery and history lovers will enjoy this as well.Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give an honest review.