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.

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Pub Date: Oct 1, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
Oct 2024 Must-Read Books
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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.

Another book club hit here. It was easy to stay engaged with and the characters were wonderfully human. I found it a little dull in places but nothing bad enough to make me put it down. I think this one is going to be easy for a lot of people to like.

Cassandra Campbell does a great job of narrating.

This book weaves an intoxicating mix of mystery, history, and Southern folklore that kept me captivated from start to finish. Set on the hauntingly beautiful Cumberland Island, it alternates between two timelines—1932 and 1959—connecting the lives of three women, each with their own ties to a long-buried tragedy. The atmospheric descriptions of the island, the fading grandeur of the Gilded Age, and the complex characters make the story come alive. I was especially drawn to how the novel explores the idea of stories—both the ones we tell and the ones we hide—and how they shape us. It’s a beautifully written, sweeping tale of secrets, loss, and the passage of time. Fans of Southern Gothic and historical fiction will be completely swept away by this one.

Cumberland Island sounds beautiful, wild and mysterious; I want to add this to our short list of must travel locations now! Thank you @harpermusebooks for my early finished copy of THE FABLED EARTH, publishing October 1st by @kimblerlydbrock .

THE FABLED EARTH definitely gives Where the Crawdads Sing vibes with the setting and secret/mysterious events.

Kimberly Brock’s writing is an immersion in lyrically beautiful storytelling. I imagine hearing this story told at the National Storytelling Festival! There are so many great nuances, shifts and turns as the characters are developed.

Told in a dual timeline perspective between 1932 and the opulence of the Gilded Age on Cumberland Island and then 1959 where Cleo has been living in a cottage on the island as a reclusive artist.

Brock created central conflicts in the novel that are issues the South was facing during the time period (classism, racism, gender inequalities). Will’s storyline and those of several Native Americans during the story was meaningful to me.

The story is about more than an island frozen in time and wild, it is a wild storm, a reckoning metaphorically for these characters as their decisions and the subsequent events will alter their lives forever.

This is a beautifully done piece of Southern Fiction, and if you enjoy historical fiction, Georgia, women’s fiction, storytelling, and the punishments we ensure, then you will enjoy this read. There is also so much that can be discussed with this novel, it would make a great book club book (and includes questions at the end).

Speaking of the end, I loved the author’s note- definitely read it after the novel!

Loved the audio and reading it as a tandem read!

The Fabled Earth is a sweeping historical novel encompassing the history of Cumberland Island, Georgia through the voices of multiple characters and two different periods of time. The main characters are three different women – Cleo Woodbine, an eccentric artist who has lived most of her life in and around the area, Audrey, who is newly widowed and has come to the island to run the inn, and Frances Flood, a folklorist who has come to the island seeking answers. Cumberland Island offered summer refuge to the very wealthy, particularly the Carnegie family, during the 1930’s. In 1932 some of the young men of the wealthiest families come together there for a hunting party, along with a beautiful debutante, Julia, who is expecting to be engaged, and Cleo, who came to be Julia’s chaperone and believes she has ties to the wealthy hosts through her grandfather. But something happened one evening in 1932 that affected all who were there, some who will never forget.

The story unfolds in two timelines, 1932 and 1959, and unravels the mystery of how Cleo’s, Audrey’s, and Frances’ lives are all intertwined. The book is beautifully written and gives the reader a true feel for the area. Unfortunately, it was also confusing as it is told from the voices of the various characters. Listening to the audiobook, I could not keep some of the characters straight, particularly Audrey and Frances, which might reflect my listening skills as well as the narration. The story moves at a slow pace and takes a long time to unfold and reveal what truly happened to some of the people in 1932, which made it difficult to maintain concentration. It also tackled many subjects, in particular racism, misogyny, and of course, wealth.

I liked how the author included fables to help tell the story. I was not sure if they were real or truly fables and how they affected what happened to the characters. In the end, the story reveals how the three strong women characters’ lives are all intertwined and why Cleo chose the path she did.
I think people who enjoy learning about new areas and who like historical fiction will enjoy this book. For me, it was a little slow and I found it hard to be invested in any of the characters. The narration also made it difficult because Audrey and Frances sounded the same. It took me much longer than the 12 hours to listen to the audiobook because I had to rewind so often. There were times where it really did not matter if I missed something since the story moves so slowly. I think I might have enjoyed this book more if I had a physical hard copy to read.

Wow! What a story! Kimberly Brock weaves a fantastic tale of youth, heartache, and friendship. I couldn't put this down, I had to know what actually happened that night at the bonfire that so drastically changed the lives of so many.

DNF @ 45%

I really gave this audiobook a chance and tried my best to finish it, but it’s just not for me. It’s way too slow and it doesn’t feel like anything has happened so far at almost halfway through. I also think the audio made it difficult for me to get into the story because I’m having trouble with the timeline and character transitions. I do think this is a technically strong story and I know the history and research are there, so while it’s not for me I know plenty of other people will love it!

I was luck enough to read The Fabled Earth, by Kimberly Brock. The storyline is character driven with a rich moody southern vibe that's told in two timelines. So I was excited to listen to the audio book, and it did not disappoint. The voice acting was superb. It's definitely an audio book I would want to listen to again, and again.