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Into the Free Audiobook
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(3.01) - 2,242 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Saturated in Southern ambiance and written in the vein of other literary bestsellers like Kathryn Stockett’s The Help and Tom Franklin’s Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, Julie Cantrell’s New York Times bestselling Into the Free that will sweep you away long after the novel ends.
In Depression-era Mississippi, Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a “nothing mama,” she struggles to find a place where she really belongs.
For answers, Millie turns to the Gypsies who caravan through town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of shocking family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family’s longstanding cycle of madness and abuse. Through it all, Millie experiences the thrill of first love while fighting to trust the God she believes has abandoned her. With the power of forgiveness, can she finally make her way into the free?
Millie is just a girl. But she’s the only one strong enough to break the family cycle.
“Gritty, compelling, and beautifully told, Into the Free will take you into a coming-of-age story filled with heartrending hardship and luminous hope. Julie Cantrell is a writer to watch!” —Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
“Readers will fall in love with Millie Reynolds, girl with one eye on the heavens and the other on the savages that occupy our world . . . a searing tale of heartache, faith, forgiveness, and doubt set amid gypsies, angels, addicts, asylums, roughnecks, and rodeo hands.” —Neil White, author of In the Sanctuary of Outcasts
“A lyrical, moving, haunting, wise, brutal, warmhearted, and ultimately freeing and inspiring coming-of-age tale told with poetic honesty. . . . Into the Free swept me up and swept me along.” —Jennifer Niven, bestselling author of The Ice Master
- New York Times bestseller
- Can be read as a stand-alone novel, although the story continues in When Mountains Move
- Book length: approximately 90,000 words
- Includes a reader’s guide, author interview, and discussion questions for book clubs
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"Now this was a truly fascinating book. At first, I thought it was going to be amateurish. In fact, I almost gave up after a few chapters. Lucky thing I didn't. The characters grabbed me, and so did the unusual setting: rural Mississippi in the 1930s, rodeo riders, gypsies, white trash, domestic violence, madness, triumph over being a victim, forgiveness, love of literature, ultra-Christian hypocrisy ... See what I mean? It was really different. So many awful things happen to the main character that you just want to weep for her. Yet all of it is quite believable. I bought this because it was a bargain book and I wanted to fill up some space on my Kindle for a trip. I'll bet it catches on, and stops being a bargain book. And I'm sure that the author will become well-known if she keeps up the good work."
— Alesa (4 out of 5 stars)
Into the Free Listener Reviews
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" Really enjoyed the characters in this book. "
— Ann, 2/16/2014 -
" A week after finishing this book I am still thinking about the characters. Julie Cantrell wove a wonderful story with her beautiful prose . The plot might be a touch improbable , coincidences sometimes too pat but the depth of the characters , the strong emotions evoked and the sheer beauty of the prose made this one of the most unique books I have read in a long time. Highly recommend this . "
— Mary, 2/13/2014 -
" I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book! Her descriptions were so vivid and almost poetic in places, beginning with the first paragraph. I'm not sure why the last part was not as enjoyable. The denouement seems hurried and not as detailed as the rest of the novel. This is probably just a pet peeve of mine, but the character with supposedly the highest education speaks like a very uneducated person, and is the ONLY one in the book to do so. For a first novel this was very good! I think with her talent she will write many wonderful books and I look forward to reading them! "
— Nancy, 1/31/2014 -
" Sad but compelling story of a young survivor who discovers herself, her value, and her faith. A very worthwhile read. "
— Kathi, 1/31/2014 -
" I LOVED this book. It was very reflective about living. I wish for Into The Free pt. 2. "
— April, 1/22/2014 -
" This book had a unique and creative story line and was well written. I guess I lean somewhat toward feel-good stories, and this one wasn't exactly full of feel-good. It was interesting, enlightening, and eventually had a happy ending. It was hard to put down at night! "
— Betsy, 1/20/2014 -
" Into the Free captivated my emotions from the first page. Ms. Cantrell swept me into another world, while helping me face soulful questions of my own. Loved this book! "
— Anita, 1/17/2014 -
" tough start but worth sticking with. Enjoyable story "
— Cathy, 1/12/2014 -
" With the power of forgiveness, we can finally make our way into the free!!! Beautiful!!! "
— Carmen, 12/19/2013 -
" Nice story and refreshing because it is so different. I could not predct the end. I loved this book and it is well written. "
— Menia, 12/2/2013 -
" Best I've read this year! Not the typical Southern novel, but so much more. If I'm being fair, it really deserves 4.5 stars at least. Well written, excellent character development. Bravo Ms. Cantrell! "
— Lisa, 11/24/2013 -
" Some parts were hard to read for this one. The religious bits didn't bother me as I loved the story as a whole. I realize, that with me saying religious, it might turn some away from this one. However, give it a try and see the story behind the religion as well. Give this one a read, won't you? "
— Mellodi, 9/17/2013 -
" Light read but good "
— Margaret, 8/10/2013 -
" All I can say is...wow! What a gift this book is. "
— Allison, 8/3/2013 -
" This was a great book! The author has clever usage of words. It is hopeful and inspiring. I am waiting for the sequel! "
— Luana, 3/9/2013 -
" Although tragedy is in the book- It is a lovely story of a young girl and overcoming life's problems. It takes place in the South and has touches of Southern culture. "
— Simone, 1/21/2013 -
" I found this as a free download and wasn't really expecting a lot out of it. Was I ever surprised. This was an excellent book though heartbreaking at times. I highly recommend it. "
— Marie, 1/1/2013 -
" Loved this book. Millie - tough, innocent, a survivor to say the least. Beautifully written and really brought out the places inbetween reality and fantasy where we choose to live sometimes. "
— Cheryl, 12/8/2012 -
" Loved the story line, in places the story was a bit predictable but rather good read "
— Kay, 11/23/2012 -
" Great Book! Can't wait for the next one! "
— Leah, 10/28/2012 -
" I fell in love with the main character of this book, Millie. Beautifully written. So many good quotes I wanted to write down from this book. Added to my favorites, for sure. "
— Joannah, 10/5/2012
About Julie Cantrell
Julie Cantrell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Into the Free, the 2013 Christy Award–winning Book of the Year and recipient of the Mississippi Library Association’s Fiction Award. She has served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review and is a recipient of the Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Fellowship. Her second novel, When Mountains Move, won the 2014 Carol Award for Historical Fiction and, like her debut, was selected for several top reads lists.
About Laura Jennings
Laura Jennings graduated with an MFA in creative writing and has an intrinsic appreciation of the mechanisms and techniques which comprise the art of the tale. A skilled narrator, she is adept at analyzing the underlying moods and currents of a book and bringing these into her interpretation of the author’s work.