Thoughtful, inspiring & utterly compelling listen

This is the journey of the very quiet Honour Bright - who leaves the closely knit Quaker community in Dorset when her fiance meets another and releases her of her obligation - to travel with her outgoing, noisy sister Grace to America, where Grace is to marry an old family friend. This story is not just about the physical travels of Honour into a completely different landscape but also the growth of Honour's own character. Slavery and the Quaker's attitude to this at the heart of this story - but it is impossible to say any more without giving away the plot.
Tracey Chevalier is one of my favourite authors and yet again I can say this tale is not "more of the same" but something completely different. I have now recommended this to everyone I know and can only hope the book reads as well as it is narrated by Laurel Lefkow who does a truly wonderful job.

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4 people found this helpful

Good story but dreadful accent

The dodgy Dorset accent was very offputting, I can usually plough through if I don’t like the voice but this I found very annoying and it let the book down, it could have been so much better with the right voice - sorry!

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Wonderful book

This was the first book I downloaded from audible and I thoroughly enjoyed it-I couldn't wait to listed to more but didn't want the book to end either. The story is about Honor Bright who travelled to America in the 1800s, so I felt I was learning more about that era as well as hearing an interesting story. What I loved about this book were the domestic details and descriptions of how people lived in very tough circumstances. Quilting was a very important pastime during this period and there are many references to how they were made and what fabric were used. The book is interspersed with letters written to family and friends which convey what was going on in her life in a very personal way.This was a time of black slavery and it was heartbreaking to hear how terribly they were treated. But in spite of this the book is uplifting and I would recommend it. I'll be looking out for more titles by the author.

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Excellent book

What made the experience of listening to The Last Runaway the most enjoyable?

I love Tracy Chevaliers book and this did not disappoint . As usual you get a great feeling of time and place as Chevalier evokes atmosphere so well.
It gives an interesting view in to the Quaker life style ,quilting ,slavery and life in a new world !
I enjoyed the book as a holiday read but found the story moving and the characters credible and as usual got a great feel for the period and the way of life
Would recommend

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2 people found this helpful

A wonderful book with so many threads

What did you like most about The Last Runaway?

Tracy Chevalier has a wonderful gift with words and her characters and landscapes are especially well drawn. She evokes an historical era excellently.

What did you like best about this story?

It was interesting from a historical point of view- many elements that I was previously unaware of both the slave trade, founding of new towns and the sailing of brides from England to the unknown. I loved the links with Dorset where I live.

Which character – as performed by Laurel Lefkow – was your favourite?

I thought they were all excellent but I was especially drawn to the hat maker!

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was a book that left me feeling bereft when I finished it as I had enjoyed it so much !

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dissapointing listen.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I found the subject matter very intersting but was left not having learnt very much. I wanted more detail.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

More detailed historical background.

What does Laurel Lefkow bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

SHe brings the atmosphere alive.

Do you think The Last Runaway needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No.

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The American Way

Another good historical novel from TC with her trademark attention to detailed research. I’ve read a few books on this subject but not from the Quaker POV. A few themes which are well developed with good female protagonists. I was interested in the quilting as I did a class on it once and quickly realised not for me! Very well narrated audible.

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Superb story

10 out of 10 for this wonderfull book, this will be in my top 5 books, I loved it.
Such an interesting story with lots of twists and turns.

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2 people found this helpful

Moral conflicts in pre-abolition America

This is an amazing tale – a naive young woman from Dorset, a Quaker, who accompanies her sister emigrating to Ohio. She soon discovers that even the northern states are riven with moral conflicts around slavery. She tries hard to hold fast to her beliefs, but comes under massive pressure to compromise. A beautifully told tale, superbly read.

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Absolutely fantastic!

Would you listen to The Last Runaway again? Why?

A brilliant crafted story, told sympathetically and with elegance. I definite story to return to.

What did you like best about this story?

It was easy to empathise with all the characters in the book not just the main one, resulting in a breadth of involvment that kept you hooked from start to finish.

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