Fayne

A Novel

By: Ann-Marie MacDonald

Narrated by: Ann-Marie MacDonald

THE INSTANT #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE 2023 PARAGRAPHE HUGH MACLENNAN PRIZE FOR FICTION
A GLOBE AND MAIL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
ONE OF CBC’S BEST CANADIAN FICTION BOOKS OF 2022

A beloved writer returns with a tale of science, magic, love and identity.

In the late nineteenth century, Charlotte Bell is growing up at Fayne, a vast and lonely estate straddling the border between England and Scotland, where she has been kept from the world by her adoring father, Lord Henry Bell, owing to a mysterious condition. Charlotte, strong and insatiably curious, revels in the moorlands, and has learned the treacherous and healing ways of the bog from the old hired man, Byrn, whose own origins are shrouded in mystery. Her idyllic existence is shadowed by the magnificent portrait on the landing in Fayne House which depicts her mother, a beautiful Irish-American heiress, holding Charlotte’s brother, Charles Bell. Charlotte has grown up with the knowledge that her mother died in giving birth to her, and that her older brother, Charles, the long-awaited heir, died soon afterwards at the age of two. When Charlotte’s appetite for learning threatens to exceed the bounds of the estate, her father breaks with tradition and hires a tutor to teach his daughter “as you would my son, had I one.” But when Charlotte and her tutor’s explorations of the bog turn up an unexpected artefact, her father announces he has arranged for her to be cured of her condition, and her world is upended. Charlotte’s passion for knowledge and adventure will take her to the bottom of family secrets and to the heart of her own identity.

Amazing

I could not get enough. It was hard to stop listening each day. I got lost in the adventure.

The Best Gothic Novel Ever!

It may have a running time of 30 hours but you won't regret one minute of them.

what a rollercoaster

I don't know when last a book made me feel this many emotions.... I felt such rage, sadness, joy and nostalgia that I had to step away at times. How the opportunity is given to enter young Charlotte's world.

Magic is hinted at so obscurely it is almost unnoticed. The occurrences start out in a manner which made me wonder if it was plot armour that encouraged the story to take the path it took but by the end it all makes sense. The magic is integral to the story.

I can't say more without giving it all away...

The author did a fantastic job at the narration. I will not be surprised if she reads professionally for others following this work.

A great listen !!!!

This book is not about a subject I would normally listen to. Audible suggested the title and based on reviews and the author’s history, I decided to try it. Due to the slow start and the length of the book, I was almost dissuaded. But I am so glad I stuck with it; it was a great listen. The characters were rich and deep, and you grew to feel as if they were talking directly to you. It was likened to actually being a confidant of the main character. If you are looking for a story that is rich in characters and explores the misunderstanding of sexuality and feminism, this is a book you will enjoy.

Intriguing, eye opener, thought-provoking

I enjoyed the detailed storyine and complexity of situations and characters. The twisting plot reveals some shocking events, where people, prejudice, nature and chance often play unexpected roles and add up to a charming evolution of emotions, relationships, destinies.
Alternating narration between the eyes of youth and the eyes of adulthood, the book offers a vast overview of aristocracy at the end of the nineteenth century, touching on daily activities, values, morals, education, society.
A most intriguing part of the book reaches into the gray areas of mental health and support for the poor.
Lovely characters, even the darker ones!
Funny at times, the story also includes a part of magical realism, perfectly in sync with the main character arc.