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That Bonesetter Woman
- Narrated by: Sophie Roberts
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
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That Bonesetter Woman
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Summary
It’s usual, they say, for a young person coming to London for the first time to arrive with a head full of dreams. Well, Endurance Proudfoot did not. When she stepped off the coach from Sussex, on a warm and sticky afternoon in the summer of 1757, it never occurred to her that the city would be the place where she’d make her fortune; she was just very annoyed to be arriving there at all.
Meet Endurance Proudfoot: clumsy as a carthorse, strong as an ox, with a tactless tongue and a face she’s sure only a mother could love. Durie wants one thing in life: to become a bonesetter like her father. It’s physically demanding work, requiring nerves of steel, and he’s adamant it’s not a job for a woman.
Strong-willed and stubborn, Durie’s certain that in bonesetting, her big, usually clumsy hands have found their natural calling. So when she’s bundled off to London with her beautiful sister, she won’t let it stop her realising her dream. As her sister finds fame on the stage, Durie becomes England’s most celebrated bonesetter – but what goes up must come down, and her success may become her undoing.
Inspired by the true stories of two of Georgian England’s most famous celebrities, That Bonesetter Woman is an uplifting tale about finding the courage to go your own way, when everyone says you can’t – and about realising that what makes you different can also make you strong.
Critic reviews
"What a heroine Endurance Proudfoot is! I loved her from the start. An unconventional woman who takes us on a fascinating—if bumpy—ride through a man’s world. I laughed, cried and most of all cheered! Can’t stop thinking about it...an absolute cruncher of a tale." (Janice Hallett)
"Durie Proudfoot is a brilliant heroine: stubborn, flawed and so entertaining to spend time with. I loved every step of her journey, and Frances Quinn is fast becoming one of my favourite historical novelists." (Louise Hare)
"Filled with hope and humour, That Bonesetter Woman is a novel that truly champions the underdog. I devoured it with as much gusto as the inimitable heroine sets people’s bones." (Polly Crosby)
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What listeners say about That Bonesetter Woman
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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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
- RVT
- 17-01-24
Excellent
Beautiful story and well written. The reading was clear and captivating. I loved it all.
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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
- JH
- 26-09-23
Engaging characters
Loved this book. The characters were endearing and the story line was interesting. A good perspective on women’s lives at that point in history.
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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
- Laura Wicking
- 14-12-23
Fascinating story
Well written story and well read & presented
Easy to follow the characters and picture them.
A good read!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- LH412
- 11-04-24
Great story, terrible narration
I really enjoyed the story, sadly the narration is awful. Really flat and difficult to manage for long periods. Thankfully the story is good enough to pull you through.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- lovely catlover
- 05-01-23
Not for me I’m afraid…..could have been so much interesting!
I’m afraid I must be one of the only people that couldn’t really get on with the book (audio). Lucinda was a fright - a selfish, priggish individual compared to her talented but physically unattractive sister ‘Durie’. The reader, I’m afraid was only really convincing as the two sisters - the character with the Irish accent was excruciating…..and to my mind there was no depth of character voices with the other players…at times I couldn’t tell who was who. I fast forwarded it in a number of places as just not enough pace and/or plot….sorry but just not for me.
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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
- Sprocketfrog
- 30-01-24
Excellent!
Brilliant narrator and a really great story. Loved every minute and didn't want it to end.
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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
- Liz R
- 17-04-24
What a Surprise!
This book caught my eye in the '2 for 1' sale.
To be perfectly honest, it was the cover that initially piqued my interest and then the reviews.
I thought that Durie was an incredible character and I found myself both cheering her on, and then actually shouting at my 'Alexa', after her naivety and incredible innocence put her in the most awkward situations, making me actually cringe.
The entire cast of characters and the settings were extremely well portrayed. The story was believable, it was entertaining and it left me wanting more. So much so, that I now intend to look for more works by this author.
This book is excellent... give it a go. I refuse to divulge any more than that about the story. If you want to know what happens, either read it, or listen to it yourself, you won't be disappointed.
The explanation at the end, about where the idea for the book had come from was fascinating.
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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
- Amazon Customer
- 23-11-22
Three Women, One Lifetime - Beautiful
From when these two little girls lived comfortably and happy with their father, step-mum and baby brother, to when they meet their smart, independent Aunt in London their lives change beyond their dreams. With heartbreak, joy and fun on the journey; Endurance, Lucinda and Helen, each with their strong, individual personalities weave a wonderful tale in this story by Frances Quinn.
The narrator does the story a great justice and slathers 18th century dignity, haughtiness and male dominance like butter on hot toast.
The timbre of book allows you to escape to the time period, locations and characters with ease. What an absolute joy to spend with Durie, where you find yourself thinking ‘oh yes go girl’ and ‘oh Durie no!’. She is stalwart, infuriating and loving to a fault.
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6 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
- Laura
- 20-11-22
A wonderful book!
I loved this book from start to finish. Durie was such a resilient, remarkable character and I was rooting for her throughout. I couldn’t stop listening and would highly recommend this book!
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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
- KarenA
- 07-04-23
Brilliant!
Loved this book so much, I couldn’t stop listening. Just brilliant, highly recommend. Even better to learn it was inspired by real people.
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1 person found this helpful