Rape of the Fair Country cover art

Rape of the Fair Country

The Mortymer Trilogy, Book 1

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Rape of the Fair Country

By: Alexander Cordell
Narrated by: Matt Addis
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About this listen

 A dazzling new recording of this classic best-seller to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the author's birth, Rape of the Fair Country follows its hero Iestyn Mortimer from boyhood to manhood, through the turbulent times of the Industrial Revolution and the Chartist Revolt against the ironmasters and a government that supported them. It is a story of love, of loss, of battle and of honour, set in the plundered valleys of South Wales. Rape of the Fair Country launched the career of Alexander Cordell and went on to sell millions of copies in seventeen languages throughout the world.©1959 Alexander Cordell (P)2014 Matt Addis Classics Historical Fiction Fiction Tear-jerking

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All stars
Most relevant  
Beautifully read, cracking story and written in a wonderful poetic, almost Dylan Thomas, style. I felt I walked the mountains, felt the cold and hardship and lack of justice. I was moved by this story. Of its time and it conjured up a piece of history I was not properly aware of.

A wonderful story

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If you could sum up Rape of the Fair Country in three words, what would they be?

Love, toil, belief

What did you like best about this story?

For me, the best parts of this story were the details of everyday life, love and survival during a period when working people had few choices or freedoms. Cordell's prose often verges on the poetic to create a vivid picture of the life and times of Iestyn Mortymer. I was particularly interested in the story of Iestyn's older sister, Morfydd, who struggles against convention and suffers for her pioneering opinions on politics and the role of women

What about Matt Addis’s performance did you like?

I especially enjoyed the way Matt Addis handled the range of different voices, including women and children (which is no mean feat - I have been annoyed to distraction by other narrators' lady-voices!) Another important factor in this reading is of course the Welsh accent, which was present enough to add to the lilting poetry of the language but always perfectly clear. I don't think I would have gained as much from reading all of the Welsh names and turns of phrase on the page as I did from hearing them read by Matt Addis

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The whole book is an emotional journey! I was pleased and relieved when life and relationships went well for the Mortymer family, annoyed by some of the pig-headed opinions inflicted on it from within and without, and saddened by the people who were lost along the way

Any additional comments?

The only reason I have given four not five stars for the story is because I got a bit mixed up by some of the politics towards the end of the book but my overall experience - especially the narration - is absolutely worth five stars!

A sweeping story

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If you can get past the title, which makes it sound like a Mills and Boon bodice-ripper, the rewards are great! This is the delightful, though, at times, harrowing tale of Iestyn Mortymer, a boy from Blaenavon caught up in the birth of the unions and Chartism amidst the beauty of the Brecon hills and valleys, brought to life by another Blaenavon boy, Matt Addis.

What does Matt Addis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Matt Addis's Welsh roots permeate the whole listening experience, Placenames, expressions and peoples' names that my English tongue would have stumbled over become part of the lyric poetry of the piece and his characterisation of each member of this disparate cast make the dialogue effortless to follow. If I met Dada in the streets of Aberfavenny tomorrow, I would know him at once, by his rich baritone or Iolo Milk or even Dai Two. I was often reminded of Under Milk Wood by the narrative passages and the sparky, quick-fire dialogue.

Any additional comments?

At the end, was a taster for the next in the series - can't wait to get started. Make sure number three is finished soon, please, Audible!

A cracking story, beautifully told

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This beautifully written and beautifully read tale of life in the Welsh iron making communities is totally gripping from beginning to end. Seen through the eyes of young Lestyn Mortymer there is such wit, humour and warmth set against a background that is often cruel, harsh and cold. 10 out of 10 - I thoroughly recommend it! Nick English

What a wonderful story

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I enjoyed the book immensely knowing the area and its suffering great listening to it

my local area

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Cordell invites us to watch the beginning of the Chartist movement in Wales through the eyes of Iyestn Mortymer and his family- a world of iron masters and pits, redcoats and uprisings. Cordell's writing is brutal in its historical accuracy, which was good for me, as it's a world I knew next to nothing about before listening to this book, and which I now feel I have begun to understand.
Addis's narration is a perfect match for the text, bringing childlike innocence to the earlier chapters, with harsh reality slowly building as we listen to Iyestn growing and learning about the world around him. As ever, Addis gives everyone we meet individual voices, accents and character, and he builds a world we believe in and care about.
This story pulls no punches, and is scattered with both beautiful and heart wrenching moments: if you want to learn more about the history of the UK, or just want a fine story, I'd highly recommend.

An epic story, wonderfully told

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I first read this book when I was 17, forty years on I found this on Audible. I know all of the places mentioned as I lived in Abergavenny before moving to Usk. Some of the Welsh pronunciations were slightly off but have heard worse. A good performance and an easy listen. Had me laughing and crying in equal proportions. Even today the poverty is still visable in the area but so is the laughter, hope and pride that Alexander Cordell captures in the first part of the Mortimer trilogy.

A great Welsh tale

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Excellent reading, gorgeous prose, couldn't stop listening. Could easily listen to this again today and I have only just finished listening.

Brilliant

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A story told that takes you through so many ups and downs; The struggle through living in the valleys in the era is brought to life, the humor that is used to get through the hardships, the toughness and complexities of the community and the brutality of the environment these families worked in.

My great grandfather used to tell stories of his time down the mines and the life in a small Welsh village and although not as brutal as this (he was a miner years after this was set) the toughness and community life feels familiar.

The narration was great with Welsh places and names said well, often hearing narration of Welsh done in audio books can make me cringe to the point of taking me out of the moment but this narration is spot on.

Recommend for anyone who wants to understand the life of a worker at this time through a beautifully constructed narrative rather than the straight and often impersonal facts of a non fiction historical account.

Brutal, Funny, full of Love and anger. Brilliant!

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I enjoy it immensely have to intended read for years, having narration was a joy

The joy to listen to listen to

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