Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
Presented by Harper Collins Focus

A sprawling, tangled weave of lives and stories.

I enjoyed it, but I did tune out a couple of times.

This is a historical fiction that follows three different women in two different times - Cleo in 1932, then again in 1959 alongside Frances and Audrey. They've all found themselves on Cumberland Island for different reasons, but their paths inextricably intertwine.

I enjoyed the flicking between times, and meeting Cleo at two very different points in life. It was fascinating to see how the times and events had changed her, and our first meeting left quite an impact that echoed well throughout the story.

Frances and Audrey were equally interesting characters, though admittedly not quite as fascinating to me.

There's a mystery and dead boys looming over everything, so there's a drive to get to the bottom of things there and work out what happened. Once it was solved, however, I felt the story dragged on a little. I think part of that may be because I tuned out a little, so had no burning desire to see what became of everyone afterwards.

The narration was decent and eloquent, but never particularly inspiring. The characters sounded similar, and nothing in the narration really stood out for me. It was okay, but I think it was part of the reason I found myself tuning out.

With that in mind, I think this would make a really excellent physical read. I think there's a lot of substance in the details here, so reading physically would really draw out that pleasure.

For fans of historical fiction, this is an excellent read. The characters are well rounded, and the writing will thoroughly drag you in. The fables were a little lacking for my tastes, but the story was entertaining enough to survive it and I found myself getting caught up in events easily.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to Favled Earth. This was a phenomenal book that everyone should read!

The Fabled Earth
Kimberly Brock
The setting is both 1932 and 1959, Cumberland Island is Southern Georgia.
“Everyone of us has a library we’re carrying around right inside us. All those stories just waiting…Did you know that’s why all stories are ghost stories?”
1952: Audrey Howell was still a newlywed when her husband was killed. She was trying to run the local inn. She took a photograph and accidentally double exposed it, making it look as if a ghost of someone missing since 1932 was standing in the background.
Cleo Woodbine was an artist that preferred to live in isolation on Kingdom Come, a narrow marshy strip of land where the servants of the mansions on Cumberland Island lived. She creates art inspired by her grandfather. She gathered the fruit from the old trees and bushes and traded it for her needs. She felt guilty over something that happened in 1932. Her life has never been the same. A man from her past showed up unexpectedly. He saved her life nearly thirty years ago but his return awakened tales that some would prefer to remain asleep.
Cleo has been warned to leave Kingdom Come. The ground under her cabin is eroding. They warned her of a severe storm looming. She refused to listen, claiming to have heard it all before. Folklorist, Frances Flood came to town researching a local legend and seeking information about her mother who was on the island in 1932. Her presence gave Cleo a new outlook on life. Frances was estranged from her mother at her time of death. She wanted know more about her mother’s life; what she found challenged
The death of a woman who was there that fateful night in 1932, has rekindled talk about the past, the bonfire and the death.
This is the type of book you want to savor. There are tales, folk tales, history, secrets, treachery and fear. In many ways this is a love story. There is a large cast in this tale making it a bit difficult to keep up with who is talking. Each character had their own story to tell, many of them a tragedy. Often the story as we see it is different from reality. The story moves in and out on a dual timeline. This is a beautiful tale filled with relationships, traditional stories and family drama.
Thank you NetGalley for the review copy.

Kimberly Brock writes a gorgeous story and The Fabled Earth is her latest book. The story is told in dual timelines of 1932 and 1959 and tells the story of Cleo Woodbine. In 1959 she has lived pretty much as a recluse since the happenings on a night in 1932 changed the lives of all involved forever. When Frances comes to town all of the secrets and mysteries start to be uncovered.

Beautiful settings, beautiful writing and amazing characters. The audio is narrated by Cassandra Campbell and is perfection!!!

5 huge stars for another Kim Brock masterpiece!!! Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse for the honor to read and review this book.