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A review by thisfoxreads
Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper
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!