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  • Before the Swallows Come Back

  • By: Fiona Curnow
  • Narrated by: Steve Worsley
  • Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (12 ratings)

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Before the Swallows Come Back

By: Fiona Curnow
Narrated by: Steve Worsley
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Summary

Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, and Sal by Mik Kitson, with its celebration of the natural world, its misunderstood central characters living on the outside of society's norms, their survival in the wilderness, and the ultimate fight for justice.

Before the Swallows Come Back is a story of love, found family, and redemption that will break your heart and have it soaring time and time again as you sit on the edge of your seat desperately hoping.

Tommy struggles with people, with communicating, preferring solitude, drifting off with nature. He is protected by his Tinker family who keep to the old ways. A life of quiet seclusion under canvas is all he knows.

Charlotte cares for her sickly father. She meets Tommy by the riverside, and an unexpected friendship develops. Over the years it becomes something more, something crucial to both of them. But when tragedy strikes each family, they are torn apart.

Charlotte is sent far away.

Tommy might have done something very bad.

©2023 Fiona Curnow (P)2024 Fiona Curnow
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What listeners say about Before the Swallows Come Back

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written.

Beautiful descriptive writing, lovely story with very likeable characters and perfect narration. Extremely enjoyable listen.

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

Magical

So well written. You don't need imagination to go on this journey. Loved the audio version too. A must read/ listen.

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

Very descriptive

Both my husband and I enjoyed listening to this book while travelling. Left us looking forward to hearing the next chapter. You could really picture the places. Good to hear a little Scottish history too. Suitable for teenagers and adults.

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

Before the Swallows Come Back

Loved every minute of this book, recommended to Friends and family, performed brilliantly and didn’t want it to end.

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

Loved this

Oh my goodness. What a lovely, sad and insightful book! I learned so much and got an insight into the lives of tinkers. The narrator had such a lovely voice and really captured the characters so well. Highly recommend.

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

Thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions and detail was just right. I found it hard to switch off.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Predictable

Began to think this was written by an AI. Characters and expressions were stereotypical. Hurried ending unresolved in many areas.

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

A missed opportunity.

I really wanted to enjoy this book and had such high hopes however I was disappointed. The story is slow to get going and the author has managed to over complicate what has the bones to be a brilliant story. There are so many unanswered parts of the book and some far fetched elements that just make no sense and add more confusion and disbelief. The narrator does a fantastic job however of giving life to the many many different characters here.

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