When the Jessamine Grows

De: Donna Everhart

Narrado por: Tiffany Morgan

Duración: 12 h y 30 m

Resumen del Editor

Talk of impending war is a steady drumbeat throughout North Carolina, though Joetta McBride pays it little heed. She and her husband, Ennis, have built a modest but happy life for themselves, raising two sons, fifteen-year-old Henry, and eleven-year-old Robert, on their small subsistence farm. They do not support the Confederacy's position on slavery, but Joetta considers her family to be neutral, believing this is simply not their fight.

Her opinion is not favored by many in their community, including Joetta's own father-in-law, Rudean. A staunch Confederate supporter, he fills his grandsons' heads with stories about the glory of battle and the Southern cause until one night Henry runs off to join the war. At Joetta's frantic insistence, Ennis leaves to find their son and bring him home.

But soon weeks pass with no word from father or son and Joetta is battered by the strain of running a farm with so little help. As the country becomes further entangled in the ramifications of war, Joetta finds herself increasingly at odds with those around her—until one act of kindness brings her family to the edge of even greater disaster.

©2024 Donna Everhart (P)2024 Tantor

I can see why there were so many sides to the war.

The story put you in the shoes of several different people and their view of the Cival War in the 1860’s & the hardships it caused.

Fabulous Civil War era story

I love all of Donna Everhart’s books of women overcoming adversity, set in different times of American history, this one included.
Unfortunately, the narrator was one of the worst I’ve ever heard, and I’ve listened to hundreds of Audible titles. It’s still worth the listen, but it was painful at times.

The story of a southern American Civil War era woman who wishes to remain neutral during the war.

First, the performance. I often like hearing the regional accent of a setting, and this story is no exception. I liked how Mr. McBride and Joetta’s voices brought them to life. Second, the story. We rarely hear the story of a person in the civil war south who was a dissenter but not involved in the Underground Railroad. The main character, Joetta, wishes to remain neutral, but the sympathies of her friends, family, and community cause them to turn on her. Joetta is stoic in the face of their criticism and initially tries to placate them. Initially I couldn’t relate to her, and I wanted her to be either more honest or more conniving. I really liked when she decided to care for the boy. It showed her kindness. My one wish is that Joetta expressed more emotions, but overall her strength of character comes through in her actions. A good story, the kind where you hope the character lives happily ever after.

thoughtful & provoking

I enjoyed the story of Joetta and the situation she found herself in. I was exasperated by her at times but then wondered if I would have the courage of my convictions as she did. Great character development & story line with many twists & turns. highly recommend.

Good story-unsurprising-did not like the reader

Did not like the reader-ok story-unsurprising-too long-characters undeveloped for the length

Was just okay

Narrator was terrible. Her tone didn’t at all match the gravity of the story. She always had a cheerful tone, even through anger, worry, sadness, grief of people dying. She tried switching up and adding accents throughout that weren’t consistent. Just not a good narrator but the book was okay.
Spoiler alert:
Joetta was not a relatable main character. She constantly focused on herself and her own feelings throughout the whole book. Even when her husband ran off to find their son who left, because she insisted, and first was thought dead, she never once took accountability for her making him so that. Luckily, at the end, he was alive which was a nice ending. But we never did get closure on her son Henry, one was or the other. Very anticlimactic ending. It was just okay. Just a book I can include in my read list for the year. Nothing to recommend.

Great story

I almost didn’t finish the book because the narration was odd. At first, I even thought it was a virtual voice. But I kept listening and am glad I did. A heartwarming story of resilience, strength and forgiveness. The author brilliantly conveys the struggles of the characters to the listeners and beautifully portrays how conflict can bring out the best and the worst in people.

Just okay

The story was easy to follow. I think my apathy may be due to the performance. Her voice was very sing-songy and it grated on me as I listened.

Great story, poor narrator

A very different story about regular people during the Civil War. The narrator reminded me of listening to a first grader read a book. The words were spoken but not in context with the sentence.

Maybe it’s just me, but narration is horrible.

The narration for this is extremely irritating. I finished the book as I used a credit to purchase, but this would have been so much better with a different narrator.