As I loop my arm through the hole, I take a last look at what has been my home for the past two days-the shovels, the bags of seed, the lone dirty window. I shake my head to clear it and tie the four corners of the canvas together. The wind, the rainstorms, the fires, the earth groaning and shaking. Will that make you happy?īut I know it won’t. My eyes grow hot and the roof shakes again. Townspeople running for shelter as the wind grew out of control-stronger, meaner, biting through cloaks and stealing hats, making everyone run for cover in fear. The little boy lifted into the air when it hit him in the chest. In the darkness behind my lids, all I can see is the shutter, pulling loose from the green and yellow house. I hold my breath and shut my eyes, begging the wind to leave me alone. The wind rattles the corrugated roof over my latest refuge, a shed behind a tool-and-seed store in a tiny village in the Farm. My head pounds as I shove everything I own-everything I’ve stolen-onto the flat threadbare piece of canvas. The ending was enough for me to forgive the lame love interest which normally would have sealed the deal for me to stop reading.Forty-four years before the start of The Jewel. The beginning was excellent, the middle was extremely boring and then was redeemed by the excellent end hence the 'compliment sandwich in a book' haha. Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? The Duchess' voice made my blood run cold in some scenes! Some of the mens voices were a little dodgy but Violets voice stood out from everyone else. I love the 'snooty' voices she executes for the Royalty.

What does Laura Kirman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book? This may be unpopular but The Duchess was my favourite! Violet came off as so bratty and immature in some scenes where as The Duchess had excellent voice acting and lines, I got excited for every scene she was in.

The character progression was slow and the ridiculous 'love at first sight' took me completely out of the story but aside from that, I did enjoy the book. I would recommend to a friend, it was a refreshing change to most dystopian novels out now and reminded me a lot of A Handmaids Tale. Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The jewel by amy ewing