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Bittersweet Audiobook
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(3.01) - 914 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Best-selling author Nevada Barr delights contemporary mystery fans with novels like Deep South and Blood Lure. In Bittersweet, she departs the mystery genre for a touching story of hardship, perseverance, and love in the old West. When strong-willed schoolteacher Imogene Grelznik is forced from Philadelphia by scandal, the only position she can find is in rural Pennsylvania. There she meets Sarah, a beautiful young student whose bright light of potential is on the verge of being extinguished by her father's arrangement to marry her off to an abusive, unfeeling man. Branded as lovers, Imogene and Sarah must flee to Nevada amidst suspicion and accusation. In a place of utter desolation, the two women struggle to love and care for each other as they seek freedom from prejudice and intolerance. Bittersweet showcases Nevada Barr's powerful storytelling and strong, compassionate characters. Linda Stephens' heartfelt narration captures all the emotional depth of a story featuring life at its harshest-and at its most beautiful.
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"I have always liked Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon books, and I supposed I would like this one. I was surprised to find it was not in that series, but gave it a whirl anyway. I'm glad I did. Just because you are not in a certain culture doesn't mean you can't understand that the people of that culture have human feelings just like you do, and Nevada paints a beautiful picture of this relationship. I found myself wishing it was a series of books, and that the characters went on and on.... But they didn't, and maybe that was the point--to help us to see and feel the humanity and beauty of love in it's many forms. How would you feel if your husband, daughter, wife, brother, were treated badly just because they were gray-haired, black, Chinese, or riding a motorcycle? No attention to whether they were good or bad, just of a different group. This is a powerful book and a well-written book, and deserves to be read. I don't know what kind of press it has gotten, but it deserves a ticker-tape parade. I heartily recommend this book to anyone willing to open their eyes."
— Carolynn (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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This is a novel of power and Vitality that will grip the reader.
— --Library Journal
Bittersweet Listener Reviews
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" Historical fiction from diaries, quite gripping. "
— Linda, 2/13/2014 -
" I checked this book out based on my affection for Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mysteries. This is her first novel, and it tells the story of a turn of the 19th C western romance between two women. It was okay. "
— Curlita, 1/10/2014 -
" Actually, I didn't finish the very end of this book before I shared it with my mom. I liked the uniqueness of this book and my mom did, too. I'm going to have to revisit again sometime and finish it. "
— Bepawo, 1/1/2014 -
" This book still stays with me; years after I read it. It was Bittersweet. And Damn good. "
— Lisa, 12/29/2013 -
" Don't waste your time on this Old Time Women's Diary of a teacher and her student. "
— Gina, 12/28/2013 -
" So totally different that the Anna Pigeon series. I did enjoy. "
— Kathy, 12/20/2013 -
" This isn't my favorite book but I liked the writing. The story was really heavy. I felt like it took Sarah way too long to recover. I also didn't like how we completely lost Imogene when Karl took over. She was still there and the people in the book weren't supposed to see her but I'm not sure why the reader couldn't either. "
— Heidi, 12/20/2013 -
" Interesting story historically, but it tended to drag at the end. "
— Ann, 12/19/2013 -
" After reading many of Nevada Barr's mysteries, this book is a surprise. It takes place in the 1870's first in Penn and then in Nevada with 2 women as the main characters dealing with a lot of prejudice. I've always thought Barr's dialogue was a little stilted but this one really flows. "
— Sara, 11/6/2013 -
" usually i enjoy historical fiction more than this, but it only occasionally held my attention "
— Becko, 9/30/2013 -
" Usually love Nevada Barr but I can't even finish this! The writing is so clunky I can't get part it for the story. "
— Dcosper, 9/14/2013 -
" Pioneerin' implied lesbians! Awful story, full of cliches, but adequately written. "
— Heather, 3/26/2013 -
" An interesting departure from her usual national park mysteries. The journey of two women in the "old west", not typical but topical and very interesting. "
— Mary, 2/26/2013 -
" Very different from Nevada Barr's typical mystery books about the Park Ranger Anna Pigeon. This book is about the relationship between 2 women...a beautifully written book. "
— Rachel, 8/21/2012 -
" Strong women during a time when women were not allowed to express themselves. Loved this one, top of my list of all time favorites. "
— Gaylynn, 7/18/2012 -
" Not a Anna pidgeon series.I really liked this story,about two women who love each other,way back in the day when it was TABOO. A tastefully told story,I felt a kinship for these women and what they went through.well worth your time,ladies. "
— Claudia, 7/16/2012 -
" This is probably one of the strangest books i have ever read...the characters are very well detailed from what I remember and I enjoy reading the author's other books. "
— Janeen, 6/12/2012 -
" Love this book so much. And I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook, too. I highly recommend it. "
— Cheri, 11/22/2011 -
" This is a sensitive, bittersweet story that takes place in horse and buggy days about two women who fall in love. "
— Joyce, 7/17/2011 -
" Very Good. I have read many of Nevada Barr's mysteries and love every one of them. She does not glamorize the job of a park ranger but her depictions are what makes her stories so believable. You can actually visualize what it would be like to be right where the action is. "
— Lhoulette, 6/16/2011 -
" I liked it basically. This was Barr's first novel, so the writing is rough. The story and characters are interesting, though. "
— Jill, 3/7/2011 -
" Was a little surprised at the actual story line, because I picked it up unwittingly at a used book store. I didn't want to read it but plodded on. The historical information was great. "
— Zakyam, 3/4/2011 -
" Recommended by a friend. A younger and an older lady who love each other in the late 19th century American West and suffer the prejudice, trials, and tribulations of their love. Bittersweet story and ending. "
— Mark, 1/22/2011 -
" A little long and drawn out, but kept me interested "
— Sfritz, 11/22/2010 -
" Not your ordinary book about settling the West. It's a tender and sensitive novel about two women who love each other during a time when doing so put one at terrible peril. Thank goodness times have changed! "
— Bobbi, 11/13/2010 -
" ISBN 1417564806 <br/>Recorded Books, 2001 <br/>16.5 Hours "
— David, 9/10/2010 -
" They need to create a new shelf titled "not finished and never will". Unfortunately, I took this book on tape for an extended trip, and after a few hours of listening came to a scene of "love" between a teacher and her female student, so that was the end of my listening. "
— Karen, 8/13/2010 -
" Historical fiction from diaries, quite gripping. "
— Linda, 7/15/2010 -
" Was a little surprised at the actual story line, because I picked it up unwittingly at a used book store. I didn't want to read it but plodded on. The historical information was great. "
— Zakyam, 6/7/2010 -
" I am a fan of western historical fiction. This is my favorite of Nevada Barr's books. "
— Judi, 6/5/2010 -
" An interesting departure from her usual national park mysteries. The journey of two women in the "old west", not typical but topical and very interesting. "
— Mary, 5/18/2010 -
" Very Good. I have read many of Nevada Barr's mysteries and love every one of them. She does not glamorize the job of a park ranger but her depictions are what makes her stories so believable. You can actually visualize what it would be like to be right where the action is. "
— Lhoulette, 5/10/2010 -
" Actually, I didn't finish the very end of this book before I shared it with my mom. I liked the uniqueness of this book and my mom did, too. I'm going to have to revisit again sometime and finish it. "
— Bepawo, 11/20/2009
About Nevada Barr
Nevada Barr was born in the
small western town of Yerington, Nevada, and raised on a mountain airport in
the Sierras. Pushed out of the nest, she fell into theatre, receiving her BA in
speech and drama and her MFA in acting before making the pilgrimage to New York
City, then Minneapolis. For eighteen years she worked on stage, in commercials
and industrial training films, and doing voiceovers for radio. During this time
she became interested in the environmental movement and began working in
National Parks across the country during the summers. Woven throughout these
seemingly disparate careers was the written word. Nevada wrote and presented
campfire stories, taught storytelling, and was a travel writer and restaurant
critic. She has won both the Agatha and Anthony awards for best first mystery.
About Linda Stephens
Linda Stephens is a seasoned audiobook narrator whose readings include Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, which won an AudioFile Earphones Award and was a finalist for the Audie Award for Best Narration.