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The House Girl: A Novel Audiobook

Name: The House Girl: A Novel Audiobook
Brand: HarperAudio
SKU: amp7
Availability: InStock
Rating: 3.01 (2856 reviews)
Author: Tara Conklin
ISBN: 9780062239877

By: Tara Conklin

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Read By: Bahni Turpin Publisher: HarperAudio Listen Time: 14.75 hours at 1.0x Speed 9.83 hours at 1.5x Speed 7.38 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: February 2013 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780062239877

(3.01) - 2,856 listener ratings

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Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

Longest Chapter Length:

77:21 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

10 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

33:56 minutes

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Publisher Description

The House Girl, the historical fiction debut by Tara Conklin, is an unforgettable story of love, history, and a search for justice, set in modern-day New York and 1852 Virginia.

Weaving together the story of an escaped slave in the pre–Civil War South and a determined junior lawyer, The House Girl follows Lina Sparrow as she looks for an appropriate lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking compensation for families of slaves. In her research, she learns about Lu Anne Bell, a renowned prewar artist whose famous works might have actually been painted by her slave, Josephine.

Featuring two remarkable, unforgettable heroines, Tara Conklin's The House Girl is riveting and powerful, literary fiction at its very best.

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"The House Girl is an Indie Next pick this month, and it absolutely deserves it. This is a powerful, engaging novel. Lina is a lawyer in 2004 working on a reparations case. Josephine is a slave in 1852 who is struggling for some kind of freedom. Their lives connect in ways you wouldn't imagine as their stories unfold chapter by chapter. The author found the perfect way to unravel this story for maximum impact. Even though it's not really a suspenseful novel, I found myself unable to put it down. It was moving and beautiful and important. It's also great for book club discussions."
— Anna (5 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

“Grabs you by the bonnet strings and starts running.”
— Entertainment Weekly
“The quiet, underlying power of Conklin’s prose as well as the intriguing concepts of art and history merge with suspense and immerse readers in a story of truth and justice. This deeply satisfying novel will resonate with many readers on many levels.”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
“This will be the book-club book of 2013.”
— Marie Claire
“Layer after layer of secrets and discoveries.”
— NPR
“Exquisite...Conklin takes us down a curious rabbit hole that drops us before a looking glass of uncomfortable truths about race, power, art, family, law, and ethics...One of those books in which there’s not one, two, or three but about ten good parts you’ll want to read and reread.”
— Essence
“Infused with ominous atmosphere and evocative detail...a dramatic montage of narrative and personal testimonies that depicts the grotesque routines of the slave trade, the deadly risks of the Underground Railroad, and the impossible choices that slaves and abolitionists faced.”
— Washington Post
“Assured and arresting…You cannot put it down.”
— Chicago Tribune
“Conklin…is a skilled writer…who know how to craft a thoughtful page-turner. We’re glued to the pages.”
— Seattle Times
“A seamless juxtaposition of past and present, of the lives of two women, and of the redemptive nature of art and the search for truth and justice. Guaranteed to keep readers up long past their bedtimes.”
— Library Journal (starred review)
“Conklin persuasively intertwines the stories of two women separated by time and circumstances but united by a quest for justice…Stretching back and forth across time and geography, this riveting tale is bolstered by some powerful universal truths.”
— Booklist
“The rare novel that seamlessly toggles between centuries and characters and remains consistently gripping throughout.”
— BookPage
“Tara Conklin’s wise, stirring, and assured debut tells the story of two extraordinary women, living a century apart, but joined by their ferocity of spirit. From page one, I fell under the spell of The House Girl’s sensuous prose and was frantically turning pages until its thrilling conclusion.”
— Maria Semple, author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Awards

Selected for the February 2013 Indie Next List
A February 2013 Good Housekeeping Best Book: New Book Pick
A New York Times bestseller

The House Girl Listener Reviews

Overall Performance:

(3.81)

5 Stars: 8

4 Stars: 10

3 Stars: 4

2 Stars: 3

1 Stars: 1

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4 Stars: 0

3 Stars: 0

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Overall Performance:
" I was really looking forward to reading this book because of all the hype on it. I read it halfway and just gave up. I felt no connection to the main character, the storyline was way drawn out and it just became a chore to read. Too many books on my wait list to spend time reading something I didn't enjoy. "
— Christine, 2/19/2014
Overall Performance:
" Interesting story line about slavery intertwined with the modern story of a young lawyer trying to make it a a large law firm. Well written, interesting characters and even a love affair. Enjoyed the story. It is a quick read that keeps you turning the pages. "
— Estelle, 2/14/2014
Overall Performance:
" I finished it but it was really slow going. "
— Cindy, 2/6/2014
Overall Performance:
" Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked that it is written in alternating chapters from the Slave Josephine, and current day lawyer Lina.I do think that this book was a bit slow going. There weren't enough powerfull moments to keep me from putting the book down. It seemed to drag on a bit. Only getting to the real meat of the story in the last 50 pages. The characters were likeable enough to keep me reading it. "
— Jessica, 1/26/2014
Overall Performance:
" I have to say it took me a little while to get into this book but was glad that I stayed with it. I did end up enjoying the historical part of the story and thought the characters were very interesting. "
— Susan, 1/23/2014
Overall Performance:
" A terrific story. Very well written. "
— Chuck, 1/22/2014
Overall Performance:
" A great book, the story moved quickly and a number of twists and turns so it kept my interest. "
— Lorraine, 1/3/2014
Overall Performance:
" Although this was an engaging story the book was not well edited. It became very bogged down & could have been told in a less detailed pace. "
— Shannon, 1/2/2014
Overall Performance:
" This was a good book - engaging and interesting to read. I liked it. "
— Elise, 12/27/2013
Overall Performance:
" Took me a while and never loved Lina's character, but loved me some Josephine "
— Burtonbunch, 12/22/2013
Overall Performance:
" I really enjoyed this book. Great cast of characters, especially Josephine, with very clever plot developments. It was a bit sleepy in parts where the author gets bogged down with trivial description, but other than that, it's a good solid read. "
— korey, 12/6/2013
Overall Performance:
" When I started it I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but after a couple of chapters I got into it. Good book. "
— Shandie, 12/4/2013
Overall Performance:
" Thought provoking and well executed "
— Kefira, 11/5/2013
Overall Performance:
" This was a wonderful story. I am so sorry to have finished it---wanted it to go on and on. So well written and very interesting story and characters. I found myself wishing I knew them personally. Would highly recommend. "
— Mia, 10/22/2013
Overall Performance:
" 3.5 I think I expected too much of this book. "
— Victoria, 10/15/2013
Overall Performance:
" Looooved this one!! Could not put it down! "
— Melanie, 10/11/2013
Overall Performance:
" I loved the story of women at different times connected. Like A.S. Byatt's novel Possession it made me think about humanity despite the time period. "
— Cory, 9/5/2013
Overall Performance:
" I felt that the story was a little slow going, but by the end of the book, I did not want it to end. "
— Meredith, 9/1/2013
Overall Performance:
" The writing was very flat and did not keep my interest. After 100 pages, I closed the book. "
— Vionna, 7/22/2013
Overall Performance:
" Really really enjoyed this book. Love the characters and the story. Excellent quality of writing and realism. Could have easily gone into happy ending land but it did not and I admire the restraint of the author in this regard. Highly recommended!!!! "
— Linda, 7/10/2013
Overall Performance:
" A complex and enthralling historical novel. "
— Leith, 6/5/2013
Overall Performance:
" Josephine's story was absolutely wonderful and made me want to read more about slaves. I enjoyed Lina's work/research process - especially the family history research. If Bell Plantation was a real place, I'd definitely be going there to take the tour. "
— Sherrie, 5/6/2013
Overall Performance:
" Great weaving of two stories across different times. I thought it was very well written. As an aside, this book would be appropriate for a teenager interested in historical fiction and mystery. "
— Gold, 4/28/2013
Overall Performance:
" It was so good and hard to put down. Two good stories rolled into one book. This author is very talented and I'm looking forward to reading her books in the future. "
— Denise, 4/16/2013
Overall Performance:
" Great until the end...conclusion too predictable and trite. A good read though. "
— MBFMBF, 3/16/2013
Overall Performance:
" started out promising, but never really went anywhere "
— Trisha, 2/10/2013

About Tara Conklin

Tara Conklin is a writer and lawyer currently living with her family in Seattle. Most recently she worked as a litigator in the New York and London offices of a corporate law firm but now devotes herself to writing fiction. She holds a BA in history from Yale, a JD from New York University School of Law, and a Master of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School (Tufts University). Prior to law school, she held a variety of jobs in a variety of locales, including dealing cards at a casino in Costa Rica, planning events at a press center in Moscow, teaching English at a school in Madrid, and waiting tables at a hotel in Montana. Her short fiction has appeared in the Bristol Prize Anthology and Pangea: An Anthology of Stories from Around the Globe.

About Bahni Turpin

Bahni Turpin, winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and several prestigious Audie Awards for her narrations, was named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile magazine in 2019. Publishers Weekly magazine named her Narrator of the Year for 2016. She is an ensemble member of the Cornerstone Theater Company in Los Angeles. She has guest starred in many television series, including NYPD Blue, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, Cold Case, What about Brian, and The Comeback. Film credits include Brokedown Palace, Crossroads, and Daughters of the Dust. She is also a member of the recording cast of The Help, which won numerous awards.