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The Adversary
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The Adversary

By: Michael Crummey
Narrated by: Mary Lewis
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About this listen

In an isolated outport on Newfoundland's northern coastline, Abe Strapp is about to marry the daughter of a rival merchant to cement his hold on the shore when the Widow Caines arrives to throw the wedding and Abe's plans into chaos.

That ruthless act of sabotage is the opening salvo in a battle between the man and woman who own Mockbeggar's largest mercantile firms, each fighting for the scarce resources of the north Atlantic fishery, each seeking a measure of revenge on the person they despise most in the world. As their unshakeable animosity spirals further each year into vendettas and violence, the community is increasingly divided and even the innocents in Mockbeggar find themselves forced to take sides, with devastating consequences.

Through merciless seasons of uncertainty and want, through predatory storms and pandemics and marauding privateers, it is the human heart that reveals itself to be the most formidable and unpredictable adversary for each person drawn, inevitably and helplessly, into that endless feud.

©2023 Michael Crummey Ink, Inc (P)2023 Penguin Random House Canada Limited Canadian World Literature

Critic Reviews

'Ingeniously constructed and wound tight as a mainspring ... Flawlessly crafted ... A sinuous narrative in constant, elegant motion.' (The Wall Street Journal)
'[Crummey's] language is ceaselessly entertaining. It's the latest superb effort by an author who couldn't be more deserving of greater recognition beyond his native Canada. An enthralling masterpiece.' (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
'Crummey masterfully builds the suspense while tempering the intensity with instances of selfless devotion. Crummey has quietly established himself as one of our best writers.' (Booklist, starred review)
'Spellbinding ... Along with a vivid setting and memorable characters, Crummey impresses with his dexterous use of language to convey the time period.' (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
'The story may be dark but each sentence sparkles ... Exquisite prose. Spellbinding drama ...' (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
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