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The Little Orphan Girl

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The Little Orphan Girl

By: Sandy Taylor
Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
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About this listen

 Ireland, 1901: The workhouse gates clanged shut behind us, as me and the mammy walked down the hill towards the town. I was six years old and leaving the only home I had ever known … When Cissy Ryan’s real mother comes to claim her from the workhouse, it’s not how she imagined. Her family’s tumbledown cottage has ice on the inside of its windows and is in an isolated, poverty-stricken village in the muddy Irish countryside. But when Cissy is allowed to help neighbour Colm Doyle and his horse named Blue on their milk round one morning, Cissy starts to feel as though friendship could get her through anything. It’s Colm who looks in on Cissy’s grandfather when she starts at the village school, and Colm who tells her to hold her chin high when she interviews for a position at the grand Bretton House. But in the vast mansion with its shining floors and sweeping staircase, it’s Master Peter Bretton who captures Cissy’s heart with his dark curls and easy laugh. As Cissy blossoms from a skinny orphan into a confident young girl, Colm tells her she’s as good as anyone and she begins to believe anything is possible. But not everyone with a kind smile has a kind heart, and Cissy doesn’t know that further sorrow lies in store for her. When Cissy finds herself desperate, alone and faced with a devastating choice, can she find the strength to survive?©2018 Sandy Taylor (P)2019 Bolinda Publishing Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt
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Most relevant
I loved the story, it flowed well. Characters were realistic, and authentic for the period.

Great narration

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I’ve listened to lots of stories involving orphans and catholic nuns and the nuns are always portrayed as evil nasty women who treat the unweeded mothers poorly. It was refreshing to listen to a story where the nuns were kind and caring. A lovely story, I will definitely read the sequel. My favourite part is the beginning where Cissy’s relationship with the granddaddy develops. This book is worth a listen and to top it off, my favourite narrator never fails to impress.

Refreshing change

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I was fully engaged by this story. I loved the characters, felt the emotion of the story and cried quite a few tears. Like other reviewers I came across this book via a search on the narrator, Aoife McMahon, who as usual did a lovely job telling the story in a heartwarming way. It was also a nice change for the priest/nuns to be portrayed in a positive light - even if it is fiction. A story with a big heart.

Loved it …

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Loved the story, my first Sandy Taylor book but really only picked because of Aoife McMahon.
Absolutely love Her as a narrator
she captures the character and makes you feel like you know them.

Heartwarming

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lovely story although the ending plot was a bit rushed and not too believable

lovely narration and easy listening story

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