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The Heroes' Welcome
- Narrated by: Dan Stevens
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
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The Heroes' Welcome
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Summary
The Heroes’ Welcome is the incandescent sequel to the bestselling R&J pick My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You. Its evocation of a time deeply wounded by the pain of WW1 will capture and beguile readers fresh to Louisa Young’s wonderful writing, and those previously enthralled by the stories of Nadine and Riley, Rose, Peter and Julia.
LONDON, APRIL 1919.
THE GREAT WAR HAS ENDED.
In a flurry of spring blossom, childhood sweethearts Nadine Waverney and Rilery Purefoy are married. Those who have survived the war are, in a way, home. But Riley is wounded and disfigured; normality seems incomprehensible, and love unfathomable. Honeymooning in a battered, liberated Europe, they long for a marriage made of love and passion rather than dependence and pity.
At Locke Hill in Kent, Riley’s former CO Major Peter Locke is obsessed by Homer. His hysterical wife, Julia, and the young son they barely know attempt to navigate family life, but are confounded by the ghosts and memories of Peter’s war. Despite all this, there is the glimmer of a real future in the distance: Rose Locke, Peter’s cousin and Riley’s former nurse, finds that independence might be hers for the taking, after all.
For those who fought, those who healed and those who stayed behind, 1919 is a year of accepting realities, holding to hope and reaching after new beginnings.
The Heroes’ Welcome is a brave and brilliant evocation of a time deeply wounded by the pain of war. It is as devastating as it is inspiring.
Critic reviews
‘Fierce and tender, The Heroes' Welcome depicts heroism on the grand scale and the importance of the tiniest act of courage’ Observer
‘Young possesses in abundance emotional conviction, pace and imaginative energy, and these qualities will draw readers with her through time and space, as she unfolds the story of the Lockes and Purefoys on their journey through the 20th century’ Guardian
‘If you read one novel about the effects of the First World War this year, make it this one. It has brain with its brawn and deserves a hero’s welcome’ The Times
‘A moving exploration of the war’s toll on a generation…deeply affecting’ Metro
‘A brilliant, passionate, intense examination of what it is to survive a war and to negotiate a peace with a body and mind that have been irrevocably altered’ Elizabeth Buchan
What listeners say about The Heroes' Welcome
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Louisa
- 16-01-15
Not as good as the first volume
Where does The Heroes' Welcome rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This book feels like the middle book of a trilogy. It is not as good as the first volume and the story line is rather thin. You feel there is another book coming and if that is the case I would definitely continue with the story. The main theme is shell shock which is interesting, but lacks the emotional intensity of the first volume and is just not quite so interesting about WWI medical practices.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Heroes' Welcome?
Probably the discussions of the effect of shell shock on the mind.
Have you listened to any of Dan Stevens’s other performances? How does this one compare?
I have listened to My Dear I Wanted to Tell You among others and really you cannot fault Dan Stevens as a reader. He is excellent.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
The emotion was nothing like as intense as in the first volume, but there are some powerful passages.
Any additional comments?
One sort of wondered when the story was going to start - it's a bit unstructured.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandra
- 12-07-14
Deeply, deeply moving. Incredible insight.
Would you consider the audio edition of The Heroes' Welcome to be better than the print version?
I have not read the print version, I cannot imagine how it could best this excellent audio.
What other book might you compare The Heroes' Welcome to, and why?
The prequel was also wonderful and gave an atmospheric lead into this book.
Have you listened to any of Dan Stevens’s other performances? How does this one compare?
Dan Steven's is superb in both books ( had me in tears on a sunny summers day!!)
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The culmination of Julia's plight
Any additional comments?
I will listen to both books again. Wonderful audio!!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Duchess
- 18-06-14
A good sequel
A good sequel to 'My dear I wanted to tell you'. A very moving story, beautifully written, a must read if you've enjoyed the first book. Beautifully narrated by Dan stevens who always does a great job with every book he reads.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Louise van der Heiden
- 20-08-19
Fabulous sequel!
Loved it.. Amazing author. Poignant story of the truth of www1 & the after effects. Dan Stevens fabulous narrator. Brought it to life!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sue
- 07-07-14
Incredible
What made the experience of listening to The Heroes' Welcome the most enjoyable?
Everything: the brilliant narrator (handsome Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey), the quality of the writing, the in-depth, well-developed characters, the overall story.
Who was your favorite character and why?
All the characters are so real, complex and well crafted, it's hard to believe they've been conjured up in Louisa Young's imagination. You fall for all of them. I suppose if pushed I'd have to choose Riley because he is woven into the very centre of the story, although I love Rose, too.
What does Dan Stevens bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Dan Stevens is outstanding as a narrator. He brings real personality to the characters and even if he just read out a single sentence without telling you directly who is speaking, you'd know from the way he uses his voice.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, definitely. I found it hard to drag myself away from it.
Any additional comments?
Read My Dear I Wanted To Tell You, the prequel, before reading this book. It's essential. And you won't regret it.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Patrick
- 13-06-14
Painfully Poignant
It took awhile to get into gear, a painful (necessary) review and then it built and rose a searing block of grief and misunderstanding and loss and more grief and resolution, lovely therapeutic listening.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ellen
- 09-06-16
A spectacular follow up
What made the experience of listening to The Heroes' Welcome the most enjoyable?
The story explores the impact on the war to all the previous characters. It is moving and heartbreaking, naturally everyone is battling with their own nightmares, injuries both physical and mental. Everything has changed while day to day life remains much the same, there are struggles to adapt to any sort of normality. Relationships evolve, change are born and nobody is left undamaged or changed.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Heroes' Welcome?
A death, I do not want to say more for fear of giving away too much. Riley the most damaged of all the characters has to become the strong lynch pin that keeps them all together whilst coming to terms with his own terrible injury and the permanen tchange to his life.
What about Dan Stevens’s performance did you like?
Dan Stevens made this story for me, his narration is perfect, sensitive. The tone, voices and characterisation brings the story to life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- arthur bland
- 02-05-21
Beautiful beautiful tale of loss pain hope and lov
The story didn't grip me like the first book but it built and built and with the last words it made me weep. This is a tale of hope and loss life and PTSD. Moving and full of deep memories of my father's war scared friends. Evocative of so much a lovely lovey book so well read a reminder not to die just yet.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mo Bass
- 30-07-21
Dark depressing post WW1
A harrowing story with some glimmers of hope. It's beautifully written and narrated but not for the faint hearted.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Irene
- 26-06-14
Left wanting more
I really enjoyed this sequel to "My dear I wanted to tell you".The aftermath of the First World War was very hard for the survivors, most of whom did not want or could not talk about their harrowing experiences.
After the intensity of the story during the first post war year I felt a bit cheated jumping 8 years and I am eagerly awaiting a continuation of the story. Dan Stevens is a magnificent reader.
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