4 Stars
This book was rich in history, plot and characters. it was captivating to listen to with wonderful narration. If you love a good historical fiction this one is for you.

Thank you to Harper collins focus and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to enjoy this title before it was released. What can I say besides this novel is full of detail and a story rich in character development. So rich in detail you think the characters are standing next you are experiencing the story. The story weaves back and forth between the years 1959 and 1932 to unravel a family mystery shrouded in love and shame. Like every great story a family's past has to unlocked by someone willing to wonder. If that is your kind of novel, please pick this one up you will not disappointed.

Let me start with the good news — The Fabled Earth is beautifully written with strong character development. It's likely to hit a good note with those who are patient with slow-burn, character driven novels. The dual timeline helps bring two eras to life on Cumberland Island: 1932, in the days of prohibition when the famous Carnegie family still summered on the island, and 1959, when a former guest of the Carnegies continues to live on the portion of the island formerly inhabited by servants. Something terrible happened on the island back in 1932, and the book slowly reveals the secrets of that day.

The not so great news — for me, this book was difficult to engage with and while I desperately wanted to be swept away, I often found myself a bit reluctant to pick it back up. There are a lot of different characters, and I found it challenging to follow at times, whether from the complexity of the character list or my failure to connect with it, I'm not sure. I listened to this on audio and may try again in print, where the flow of the story may be easier to absorb.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Kimberly Brock for an advance copy for honest review.

I picked up The Fabled Earth, knowing Brock’s popularity and after finishing it, I can see why! I really liked the alternating timelines both being outside the current times in this one and found both of them compelling. The mystery aspect was balanced by the other by everything else. I was definitely reminded by Kate Morton and Sarah Addison Allen while reading this one. Cassandra Campbell (who has also narrated Where The Crawdad’s Sing) felt like a very fitting narrator for this story. While there is a rich cast of characters, I thought the audio was easy to follow.

This is definitely a book that leaves you thinking

So many amazing characters that will have you immersed in the story.

It’s a historical fiction with amazing quotes and the plot
Is amazing.

So well written.

I love the descriptions of the scenes, people, locations.

Sorry to say this was a miss for me.

It started out strong-ish, and I found myself comparing it to “Crawdads”, which I loved! However, the multiple main characters, as well as the bouncing back and forth between two timelines left me totally lost. And, I did not find myself particularly caring for any of the main characters. (And there were A LOT of characters to follow!!)

As I saw in another review, I found myself drifting off multiple times, and that is not a good sign. Especially since I already found it confusing. 🫤

Maybe if I read it instead of listening I may have had a different opinion? Not sure. And the narrator was good too! But for some reason, this was just not for me…sorry to say.

The descriptions of this beautiful Georgia Island were intriguing, but not enough for me to love it.

Thanks to #NetGalley, #HarperCollinsFocus and #HarperMuse for an ARC of the audiobook which was released today, 10/1/24.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.

#TheFabledEarth by #KimberlyBrock and narrated nicely by #CassandraCampbell.

I’m surprised, as I usually love historical fiction…but as I mentioned, it might just be me! I seem to be in the minority here…

As this is not one of my great reviews, I’ll limit it to here and NetGalley.

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I love this book. It’s lush and atmospheric, engaging and exciting. It’s a true treat and beautifully written.

A master of Southern storytelling, Kimberly Brock, returns with her latest masterpiece, THE FABLED EARTH, following the success of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare. Her unique storytelling style, blending Southern charm, historical fiction, mystery, and a touch of magic, will surely captivate readers.

From the striking front cover that evokes the Southern landscape to the picturesque haunted setting and the dual timelines that weave through the region's rich history—THE FABLED EARTH is a journey that will immerse readers in the unique culture and landscape of the South from beginning to end.

About...

Cumberland Island —Georgia Coast

1932. The Carnegie family comes seasonally to visit the island with the grand mansions, wealth, luxury, and America's finest families. Young men come to hunt. There are parties with debutantes hoping to be engaged to the next rich young man. A party at Plum Orchard turns deadly. A young heiress and a young female artist (her chaperone). By the end of the stay, two are dead.

1959. The reclusive artist, Cleo Woodbine has been a resident for decades on a tiny strip of land (Kingdom Come) once occupied by servants for the rich near Cumberland. She is visited by a man who saved her life 30 years earlier.

Frances Flood is a folklorist who visits Cumberland Island seeking the source of a legend—and information about her mother, who was among the guests at a long-ago hunting party.

Audrey Howell, a newlywed/now newly widowed, is running a local inn. When she develops an eerie double-exposure photograph, some believe a ghost—who hasn't been seen since that fateful night in 1932.

From the perspectives of three women and two timelines, their lives connect. A folktale meets reality when this rich, complex, and lyrical Southern tale unveils hidden truths of the past.

My thoughts...

MESMERIZING! Rich in history and character—Southern storytelling at its finest! Exquisite and lyrical, infused with mystery and intrigue, Kimberly DAZZLES! Top Books of 2024.

THE FABLED EARTH is an evocative, rich tapestry of Southern folklore and mythology. Brock weaves a hauntingly beautiful, all-encompassing narrative, as is the Southern landscape itself, making it a must-read for fans of these themes.

Brock captivates in this lush, rich, fully immersive, enthralling magical tale as the characters come alive on the page with their depth and complexity.

Come and meet the characters and strong women who survived the storms in Kimberly Brock's latest masterpiece, full of mystery, twists, and intrigue. THE FABLED EARTH is a perfect selection for book clubs and further discussions. Topics: race, class, prejudice, and the power of stories.

Audiobook...

The audiobook, narrated by the dazzling Cassandra Campbell (a favorite), is a must-listen! Brock and Campbell are a perfect match! Her voice, a favorite among many, was perfect for the three women, and I highly recommend it for an enhanced reading experience.

Recs...

Cleverly crafted and beautifully written—for fans of the author and those who enjoy works of Sarah Addison Allen, Alice Hoffman, Kate Morton, Delia Owens, and Patti Callahan Henry.

#AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A...

Sign up for my newsletter for my upcoming #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A ride with Kimberly, where we delve behind THE FABLED EARTH and explore the mind of this multi-talented author. Don't miss this exciting opportunity on Oct 1.

Special thanks to HarperCollins Focus and Harper Muse for an advanced review copy (e-book) and listening copy (audio) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 1, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
Oct 2024 Must-Read Books
Oct #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A
Oct Newsletter

First off let me thank NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Kimberly Brock for this ARC copy of The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock. The narration by Cassandra Campbell was done perfectly. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book and I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Fabled Earth is a beautifully told story of the stories we create about our lives, whether they are real or not. Kimberly Brock writes this great novel about an island town in the south. Full of Southern lore and mythology, this book will leave you pondering the stories we are told by our ancestors. The use of the dual timeline really accentuated Cumberland's stories and how they came to be.

This novel is filled to the brim with strong female characters and told from multiple POVs. You'll root for each character while you are hearing their story. You'll want to know what happened to Cleo in 1932 to lead her to become the recluse she became in 1959. The Fabled Earth has well-developed characters with flaws and redeeming qualities.

This book is beautifully written about a beautiful environment. You'll want to visit to see how incredible Cumberland Island is. I loved hearing the history of this place and the lore. There is the tension of racism which is carefully written and a compelling aspect.

The Fabled Earth is a book to check out if you love beautifully told historical fiction books with strong female characters.
#TheFabledEarth #NetGalley

Loved this book and cover! Characters were intriguing and relatable, story was engaging and author painted pictures with her words. Love Kimberly Brock’s work!

This is my first book by Kimberly Brock. I almost didn't read/listen to it. I'm so very happy that I did. It was so good. A bit of magic mixed in with history. Descriptions that took my breath away. This book had so many feelings. It kept me turning the pages. Even a couple of things that I was afraid would not be cleared up certainly were. In the best way.

The audio was perfect. The narrator did a fantastic job.

This is about three women. More but mostly three. Cleo, Audrey, and Frances. A few secondary characters that you will love. Maybe a couple you won't like but they may grow on you. But the story is about a town and a small island. About things that happened in the past that shaped how the future of the town would be. Back when people were discriminated against for the color of their skin and ethnic makeup. Be it Black or Indian.

You learn a lot about each women throughout. Each chapter is told from or about each one with Fables written in at times to keep you knowing what happened back when Cleo was young and had first come to the island. The friendships that some made. How the boys/men pretty much did what they wanted. They didn't have many cares. They drank and pretended to hunt. Had parties and bonfires. You get to know a few of the boys better.

The magic of the water. The tunnels that run under some buildings. The library. And the theatre. I loved reading about these things. It makes you feel like you are right there. The boarding house and the boy named Jimmy. I adored him.

This book is well researched. I listened to that Author's notes at the end of the audio and it was very interesting. I think she did a great job with this book. It's a wonderful story.

Thank you #NetGalley, #HarperCollinsFocus, #HarperMuse, for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I thought this story was decent enough, however it didn't always hold my interest. If anything this book seemed to be very similar to both Where the Crawdads Sing and The Cliffs -- both of which have been picked by Reese Witherspoon for her Book Club BOTM picks. That makes me wonder if this book may be picked by Reese too. She does often pick books that are released on the first Tuesday of each month and this book is set to be released on Tuesday, October 1st. Coinicidentally Cassandra Campbell was also a narrator for all three of these books audio versions. With that being said, this story wasn't horrible but didn't hold my interest throughout all parts of the story unfortunately. I will probably pick this book up again later and try it at another date though.
Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock is a story that was inspired by a visit to Cumberland Island that the author took on her wedding anniversary. The roots of the story come from folklore that I had heard as I was sailing the Rhine River, so this story captivated me when I heard the comparison.

This novel intersects the stories of three women. Cleo Woodbine, an artist who is living as a recluse; Audrey Howell, a pregnant widow who is running the island's hotel; and Frances Flood, a folklore historian, whose mother was the center of a scandal in 1932. The story has two timelines that goes back and forth from 1959 to what happened in 1932. There are several cast of characters who are added to the mix that the author has created to make this an interesting adventure. There is mystery behind two deaths that happened when a group of close friends visited in 1932 and there is lost love and misunderstandings that make this an epic story.

I received this advanced reader copy on audiobook from NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks and the narrator did a wonderful job. I believe this would be much easier to follow as a physical read. There are so many interesting characters and when it flipped from 1932 back to 1959, both are so long ago from the present, it was a bit hard to follow. I believe in the form of a physical read, many readers will fall in love with these characters and find the story compelling. #NetGalley #TheFabledEarth

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Cassandra Campbell who does a good job.

This is the story of three women: eccentric Cleo Woodbine, newly widowed Audrey, and answer-seeking Frances Flood. Their lives are unexpectedly intertwined due to past events that directly involved the now elderly Cleo Woodbine.

I found the story initially hard to follow despite being told by different points of view and alternating between 1932 and 1959. I think that part of the confusion is due to the narrator reading the story with no real change in voice despite a character change. Stick with it and once you get the hang of it, it is a good, long read.

3.5 rounded up.

This overall was a really great story. I enjoyed following along to the characters life’s and hearing the stories they told about their experiences. Listening to the story it was a bit hard to follow the timeline. There were times I was confused as to when in the line of events things were happening. It didn’t impact how I felt about the material. I wanted to know what was happening and what more the characters would share, it just made it a bit confusing. Maybe reading hard copy would be easier than listening to the audio version.

The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock is a wonderful historical fiction story set in the dual timelines of 1932 and 1959. Cleo Woodbine has lived on Kingdom Come off of Cumberland Island since 1932 as a reclusive painter. The events of that summer in 1932 have led to her seclusion. As Frances Flood comes to Cumberland Island to learn details of her mother's visit there in 1932, the mystery begins to unravel. This is a fascinating tale of strong women, lush landscapes, and endearing characters.

Cassandra Campbell was the narrator for the audiobook and she brought this novel to the next level.

Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book which will be published on October 1st.

Try as I might, just couldn't get into this story. It had a promising premise and I do have an interest in Cumberland Island's history, but it just didn't work for me.
🔵Slow pacing
🟣Unequal storylines (preferred Cleo's story which was outpaced by Frances and Audrey)
🟢Interesting history
🟡Enjoyable narration
🟠Due to the depth of the storytelling, probably best to read print version

This will be a big hit for readers of historical fiction and southern fiction. We follow the lives of three different women in two different times on Cumberland Island. The use of folklore and legends with secrets kept me turning the pages as I tried to solve the mystery. A solid audio narrator, who was able to distinguish the different characters.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

Cumberland Island is a magical place and Kimberly Brock really captures some of that magic in The Fabled Earth. However, this is one I'll have to return to later in print or text format. I am reluctant to give this a star review because my opinion is influenced by my experience with the audiobook. The dual timelines weren't always clear and it took me a little while to get into the story.

It took me a bit to digest the rich artistic descriptions and writer’s beautiful prose.
I quickly became very intrigued with this dual timeline of historical fiction with the short enough time span to include the same characters.

What I loved about the author is she did not dumb down the complexities of race and class of those two periods in time.
She gave the reader enough credit to be knowledgeable of the time periods and not waste time trying to explain.

The audio performance was excellent.