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"A masterwork...Full of heart and a spellbinding plot, Krueger packs a powerful punch in this audio novella, delivering grand scale storytelling at its finest." —Kim Michele Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman's Daughter
It's 1927, and the most devastating flood in American history has swelled the Mississippi River to a width of eighty miles. In an attempt to save a family trapped by the rising water, four men in a tiny rowboat battle the treacherous flow: three are convicts, on loan from the local prison and pressed into service; the fourth, the leader of the team, is driven by his own hidden motives. But to their surprise upon arrival at Ballymore, an ancestral home protected by a high, circular levee, not everyone in the family feels the need to be saved. Pride, greed, loyalty, and even love create their own complex currents behind the massive wall. As the threat from the flood increases and time ticks away, the crew and the family must decide on a course of action, and a desperate plan is hatched to save the weakening levee and all it was built to protect.
The Levee is a propulsive, heartfelt tale of courage, cowardice, and sacrifice in a historic moment when the indomitable human spirit is pitted against the awesome and destructive power of nature.
"Will the levee hold? Or will greed, pride, and hubris engulf the characters of The Levee like the historic flood waters of the Mississippi River threatening the inhabitants of Ballymore? William Kent Krueger's masterful tale of suspense about courage, family, secrets, and the power of nature is a must-listen!" —Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room and The Personal Librarian
This audiobook includes an author's note read by the author, a reading group guide (available as a PDF), and a preview of William Kent Krueger's next novel, The River We Remember.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
February 28, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781797153537
- File size: 105313 KB
- Duration: 03:39:24
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Golden Voice narrator JD Jackson acts out Krueger's dramatic audio-original novella, which is about the potential breach of a levee, the only thing holding back torrents of water during the unprecedented flooding of the lower Mississippi River in 1927. Four men--three convicts temporarily released and a man named Quince Mobley--arrive by boat and work tirelessly to save the high, circular levee and rescue the obstinate stranded residents of an estate called Ballymore. Jackson's deep, gravelly voice pervades the performance, shifting subtly to reflect the stiff-necked women and the strong-backed, sometimes bellicose, men. The raging river's inexorable attacks are reflected in Jackson's cadence as he adds emotional energy to the exhausting fight between men and the mighty Mississippi. M.B.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine -
March 1, 2023
Krueger's (Fox Creek) first audio-original novella takes inspiration from William Faulkner's The Old Man. Set in 1927, it follows four very different incarcerated men, briefly released from prison to attempt a rescue during a devastating, unprecedented flood. What happens when man meets nature? Or when the intended targets refuse to be rescued? When class backgrounds clash? The structure at the heart of the book--the levee itself--is not only a physical object holding back the flood, but also a metaphor, representing a breach that could wipe away a family's entire history at any moment. The background of a man imprisoned for the failure of a dam he designed (but didn't build) is at once heartbreaking and a critique of the justice system itself. This audio is narrated with depth and emotion by JD Jackson, who seamlessly weaves in subplots of young love, familial pride, and fidelity, pulling listeners into the atmospheric world that Krueger has created. The storytelling, unique and vivid with imagery of the river and its potential for devastation, may have listeners holding their breath for much of the book. VERDICT This novella will grab listeners from the first moment and keep them guessing until the last.--Whitney Bates-Gomez
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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