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thisfoxreads's review
4.0
What if you were supposed to be dead, but you didn't seem to be...You can hear people talking but can't seem to move at all. Now imagine that you were hanged--and someone wants you gone forever. It's the mid-17th Century, and he is very powerful, while you are only a common servant in his household.
Accused of murder, Anne Green was sentenced to death--but is she dead?
The story is told by Anne and by Robert, a medical student with a stutter. Robert witnessed the hanging and now will witness his first dissection. He is also the first to notice Anne's signs of life--but being nearly unable to make himself understood, can he get the renowned doctors to see them, too? Each chapter switches to a different narrator--first Anne as she wakes after the hanging--then Robert, waiting for the doctors to appear to perform the dissection. I would think, "No! I want to hear what ___ has to say next!" but then I would be riveted by the next chapter. Anne relates the events that led to her hanging, while Robert shares the time from one hour after the hanging, and gradually the two merge.
This book is incredible. It's not only amazing to imagine what it would be like to be Ann, but also learning about life centuries ago in Cromwell's England. I had to reread about Charles II and Cromwell while listening to this audiobook.
The best part? This is based on a true story! Anne Green actually lived, and was hanged for infanticide in 1650, but returned to life. The character of Robert was a literary device based on the practices of the day--and is a wonderful counterpoint. The narrators do an excellent job portraying their characters.
Highly recommend!
Accused of murder, Anne Green was sentenced to death--but is she dead?
The story is told by Anne and by Robert, a medical student with a stutter. Robert witnessed the hanging and now will witness his first dissection. He is also the first to notice Anne's signs of life--but being nearly unable to make himself understood, can he get the renowned doctors to see them, too? Each chapter switches to a different narrator--first Anne as she wakes after the hanging--then Robert, waiting for the doctors to appear to perform the dissection. I would think, "No! I want to hear what ___ has to say next!" but then I would be riveted by the next chapter. Anne relates the events that led to her hanging, while Robert shares the time from one hour after the hanging, and gradually the two merge.
This book is incredible. It's not only amazing to imagine what it would be like to be Ann, but also learning about life centuries ago in Cromwell's England. I had to reread about Charles II and Cromwell while listening to this audiobook.
The best part? This is based on a true story! Anne Green actually lived, and was hanged for infanticide in 1650, but returned to life. The character of Robert was a literary device based on the practices of the day--and is a wonderful counterpoint. The narrators do an excellent job portraying their characters.
Highly recommend!
shebalis's review
3.0
Another book that details how terribly woman have been treated in history for just being woman. Chilling and wonderfully written.
rebeccarankin's review
4.0
This is based on a true story!!!!! WHAT?! I really enjoyed the multi perspective writing style and delicacy with which the story was handled as well as the authors note and inclusion of the original source material from the period.
i_like_my_shelf's review
3.0
I listened to the audio version of this book, and thought it was really well done. I enjoyed hearing the narrators' (there are two) varying accents and their interpretations of the dialogue. The basic premise of the book- the true story of a young woman (Anne Greene)falsely accused who survives hanging and wakes up on the dissection table-- is compelling and captured my interest immediately. The author's decision to write the book using a series of flashbacks of Anne Greene's life, to the goings on of the doctors and scholars preparing to dissect her body, was brilliant. However, I thought that the book did drag a bit-- we know from reading the book's description that Anne survives her hanging, and Hooper spends a long time describing the few hours between Anne's execution and resurrection. I think I would have preferred less of the body of the book to be taken up by the doctors, and more about Anne's life after she wakes up on the operating table. I realize that the author had to take literary license to fill in the blanks where history is silent, and I certainly listened to this book with the understanding that it was historical fiction, but I think from hearing the endnotes of the book that Hooper could have elaborated more on Anne's travels around the country with her coffin, telling her story. I also would have appreciated a bit more information about the class struggle that occurred at that time, particularly the fact that lower class women were often convicted of infanticide for stillbirths, whereas wealthy women were not. Overall, I enjoyed this book.
si0bhan's review
4.0
A truly gripping read: I must say I was rather surprised when I read it. It most certainly offered up more than you would expect – something that every review prior to mine has managed to explain perfectly.
Written in a beautiful way, the book itself is a real eye-opener filled with the emotions needed to keep you gripped from the start until the end. It really has you thinking as you work your way through the book, thoughts of what life must have been like back then. Dealing with a difficult topic, it isn’t written in a way which leaves you turning away instead the approach used is truly wonderful. Honestly, the book is well worth a read whether you’re a fan of this kind of book or whether this is merely the kind of book you dabble in.
Written in a beautiful way, the book itself is a real eye-opener filled with the emotions needed to keep you gripped from the start until the end. It really has you thinking as you work your way through the book, thoughts of what life must have been like back then. Dealing with a difficult topic, it isn’t written in a way which leaves you turning away instead the approach used is truly wonderful. Honestly, the book is well worth a read whether you’re a fan of this kind of book or whether this is merely the kind of book you dabble in.
thelibraryofethos's review
4.0
Actual rating, 4.5 stars. I just didn't feel justified giving this one the 5 stars I gave to Champion, since it just wasn't quite to the same standard.
the start of the book was the slowest part, and I found that once I got used to Anne's innocent and young voice (although she was 22) then I found I just absolutely had to know what happened next.
It's a funny story, because you ultimately know what happens at the end, you're still captivated. Or, at least, I was, anyway.
I liked all the little historical facts in it, the vivid storytelling which contained so much trivia about that time period and taught me so much. I love these types of informative-yet-still-interesting books. I've always thought that everything could be learned from books, and not only from the non-fiction kind.
I definitely liked this book, could say that I loved this book, and I will certainly be reading more from Mary Hooper in the future.
the start of the book was the slowest part, and I found that once I got used to Anne's innocent and young voice (although she was 22) then I found I just absolutely had to know what happened next.
It's a funny story, because you ultimately know what happens at the end, you're still captivated. Or, at least, I was, anyway.
I liked all the little historical facts in it, the vivid storytelling which contained so much trivia about that time period and taught me so much. I love these types of informative-yet-still-interesting books. I've always thought that everything could be learned from books, and not only from the non-fiction kind.
I definitely liked this book, could say that I loved this book, and I will certainly be reading more from Mary Hooper in the future.
paperbookmarks's review
4.0
What I love about this book is that it's based on a true story. It tells the story in such a clever way, switching between two narrators, telling of what's happening and what happened. Anne Green was convicted of infanticide (killing a baby) and once punished gets caught up in a miracle. You come to adore some characters and hate others. This book has a moral story as well as providing truth and entertainment... this book has so much to offer and it a wonderful tale.
pandemoniumpizza's review
2.0
Newes From The Dead is a book I judged the cover of before picking it up. I thought, wow this looks like a great book, there's a creepy girl on the cover so it has to be a creepy story.
I really shouldn't judge books by covers because this one was a lot different to how I thought it would be.
I'm not really a historical fiction fan, but Newes From The Dead was pretty interesting. At first, I wanted to know more about Anne, about why she was hung. Then when I found out I thought it was a little boring.
If you like historical fiction then I'd say you would like Newes From The Dead because it is quite good. It just wasn't my type of book.
I guess a good summary of my opinion would be that Newes From The Dead was alright, it was something different and while I didn't love it, I didn't hate it either.
I really shouldn't judge books by covers because this one was a lot different to how I thought it would be.
I'm not really a historical fiction fan, but Newes From The Dead was pretty interesting. At first, I wanted to know more about Anne, about why she was hung. Then when I found out I thought it was a little boring.
If you like historical fiction then I'd say you would like Newes From The Dead because it is quite good. It just wasn't my type of book.
I guess a good summary of my opinion would be that Newes From The Dead was alright, it was something different and while I didn't love it, I didn't hate it either.