A Room Made of Leaves
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
A Room Made of Leaves
Buy Now for $34.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Valerie Bader
-
By:
-
Kate Grenville
About this listen
What if Elizabeth Macarthur – wife of the notorious John Macarthur, wool baron in early Sydney – had written a shockingly frank secret memoir?
In her introduction Kate Grenville tells, tongue firmly in cheek, of discovering a long-hidden box containing that memoir. What follows is a playful dance of possibilities between the real and the invented.
Grenville's Elizabeth Macarthur is a passionate woman managing her complicated life-marriage to a ruthless bully, the impulses of her own heart and the search for power in a society that gave her none - with spirit, cunning and sly wit.
Her memoir reveals the dark underbelly of the polite world of Jane Austen. It explodes the stereotype of the women of the past - devoted and docile, accepting of their narrow choices. That was their public face - here's what one of them really thought.
At the heart of this book is one of the most toxic issues of our times – the seductive appeal of false stories. Beneath the surface of Elizabeth Macarthur's life and the violent colonial world she navigated are secrets and lies with the dangerous power to shape reality.
©2020 Kate Grenville (P)2020 Bolinda PublishingCritic Reviews
"There is no doubt Grenville is one of our greatest writers." (The Sunday Mail)
"Kate Grenville is a literary alchemist, turning the leaden shadow of the historical Elizabeth Macarthur into a luminescent, golden woman for our times. Intelligent, compassionate, strategic and dead sexy, Grenville’s Macarthur is an unforgettable character who makes us question everything we thought we knew about our colonial past. A polished gem of a novel by a writer who is as brave as she is insightful. I simply loved it." (Clare Wright)
What listeners say about A Room Made of Leaves
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rodney Wetherell
- 25-08-2020
Splendid imagining of a woman's life.
I listened to this book shortly after The Dickens Boy by Tom Keneally, and could compare and contrast the two approaches to historical characters based on limited material. Both books are superb and entertaining. There were more 'external events' in The Dickens Boy, whereas Kate Grenville lets us see events purely through the eyes of Elizabeth Macarthur. Any woman with the misfortune to have married John Macarthur would deserve our pity, but Elizabeth finds ways of living semi-independently with this obstreporous man, partly by striking up a relationship with Mr Dawes. And she learns to manipulate her husband, up to a point. Kate Grenville has told her story with great sensitivity and skill.
Reader Valerie Bader does a sterling job throughout.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jennifer
- 19-08-2021
An absolute delight
Fascinating story and history. Imagery, feelings and emotions masterfully expressed. I could read and reread and reread
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-12-2020
Sublime
Delightful story and pure perfection in its narration. I could listen to this combination for days.
Note, a few skips in the recording along the way.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mary Hanrahan
- 10-01-2021
A delightful account of Elizabeth MacArthur's life
A delightful fictional account of Elizabeth MacArthur's life and a lesson in patience and positivity
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- LVR
- 11-03-2024
Not what I had expected unfortunately.
The most disappointed I have been with a book by this author. Poor Mrs McCarthur has been let down yet again.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amy Lay
- 18-10-2020
Intriguing and engaging speculative history
Australian colonial history is predominantly about men. Men’s actions, men’s voices, and much of the primary source material obscures the stories of colonial women. Their letters were not personal so much as acts of PR.
Kate Grenville’s novel asks the question of what would a women write about these times if she knew she would have no audience until some time in the unknowable future. As Elizabeth MacArthur, the wife of John MacArthur of rum rebellion fame, Grenville paints an engaging and satisfying picture of life in a hostile land with a husband who can only really be described as a dick. It is a warm, captivating concept that is well executed. I’d recommend listening to it while out in the Australian bush for an even more immersive experience.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- My Pet Dog
- 13-12-2023
Great Read - a shame its not historically factual
Love Grenville's writing, and this was no exception. I love that Grenville writes with her feminist lens on, championing the self-efficacy of women and paying homage to their ability to work with what they've got. Grenville's character development was on point, and her portrayal of the early colony was brought to life with her rich descriptions. I would recommend this title to other listeners.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-09-2020
a good listen
quite enjoyed it. good to see the original Australians are acknowledged. narators voice is pleasant.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- E. Cannon
- 07-08-2020
Accent check
Someone might have checked what a Devonian accent sounds like... NOT northern! Apart from that, I enjoyed the book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 03-04-2021
A great read
Easy to listen to, nice narrator. I love how you can practically hear Mrs Mcarthur rolling her eyes at Mr Mcarthur throughout the entire book. I was slightly disappointed by how quickly events happened towards the end and were hardly mentioned, it felt rushed. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!