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  • Islands of Mercy

  • By: Rose Tremain
  • Narrated by: Katie McGrath
  • Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (271 ratings)
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Islands of Mercy cover art

Islands of Mercy

By: Rose Tremain
Narrated by: Katie McGrath
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

She was ‘The Angel of the Baths’, the one woman whose touch everybody yearned for. Yet she would do more. She was certain of that.

In the city of Bath, in the year 1865, an extraordinary young woman renowned for her nursing skills is convinced that some other destiny will one day show itself to her. But when she finds herself torn between a dangerous affair with a female lover and the promise of a conventional marriage to an apparently respectable doctor, her desires begin to lead her towards a future she had never imagined. 

Meanwhile, on the wild island of Borneo, an eccentric British ‘rajah’, Sir Ralph Savage, overflowing with philanthropy but compromised by his passions, sees his schemes relentlessly undermined by his own fragility, by man’s innate greed and by the invasive power of the forest itself.   

Jane’s quest for an altered life and Sir Ralph’s endeavours become locked together as the story journeys across the globe - from the confines of an English tearoom to the rainforests of a tropical island via the slums of Dublin and the transgressive fancy-dress boutiques of Paris.

Islands of Mercy is a novel that ignites the senses and is a bold exploration of the human urge to seek places of sanctuary in a pitiless world.

©2020 Rose Tremain (P)2020 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about Islands of Mercy

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Katie McGrath Is Perfect

Katies voice is perfect and calming, she could read me the back of a shampoo bottle and it would entrance me and be the best thing id ever heard

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Islands of Mercy - Is Right

I listened to (and read) this novel avidly in large chunks. I generally enjoyed it, though finally thought that the novel ended without the key story-line being given the space and attention that I felt it warranted. I am going to have to re-listen and re-read the last pages dealing with the main female character to see if I have misread and so adjust my view. To suggest doing this shows that I take the novel seriously. I am a fan of Rose Tremain, really. In ideas, plotting, language, narrative skill, characterisation etc. etc. she is always a force to be relied upon. As a male reader I felt a bit battered by the end of the novel as male characters were so often weak, misguided, arrogant, jealous or downright unpleasant. All the 'fizz' is with the women. As to the narrative performance I'm sad to say that I felt a bit underwhelmed. It felt too confidential and I wanted a bit more. I liked the idea of Rose Tremain's islands of mercy; rather than life's rich pageant.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

Although many people have been drawn to this book because it had been narrated by Katie Mcgrath, who has done an impeccable job, the writing of this exceptional author I second to none, and I would happily recommend it.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

.

The best thing about this book, except it being a historian lesbian love story, is that Katie Mcgrath narrated it and I'd very much enjoy to listen to more books narrated by her.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Such a disappointment. Both the story and narratio

I am so disappointed. I was looking forward to this one. I am so fussy about literature and the last rose tremain book I listened to was good. This one however. I don't understand how this is the same author. The story line is so shallow and disjointed. The actual writing is empty and not at all engaging. And the narration well! Those voices are so unconvincing and amateurish sounding. I really persisted with it. I kept on skipping forward to try to find an entry into the writing because I know I get very deeply affected if I try to read inferior writing. This one just made me feel I was wasting my life listening to it. In contrast with Anthony Trollope s writing which I adore and could listen to forever.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

YES

Yeeted myself into this book when i saw that Katie McGrath is the narrator. Absolutely worth it! One of the most beautifully books I've ever read/listened to.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly good book

Narrator was my sole reason to get rhis book but it ended up being an excelent book!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Accents not credible.

I'm afraid I was put off by the over-the-top plummy tones of various characters which distracted me from the writing. Narrator's own Irish lilt was beautiful though!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

I absolutely loved this book, and Katie McGrath's voice feels perfectly fitting for it.
Simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching, with its multitude of characters, Rose Tremain has an excellent command of emotive language.
I will definitely be listening to it again and again.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • KV
  • 15-10-20

Good

I like Rose Tremain's style of writing. Interesting characters. and descriptions of different lands. Good

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2 people found this helpful