(BWF) Ellie and the Harp Maker / Hazel Prior - 4****

[Book Concierge]

Ellie and the Harp Maker – Hazel Prior
Digital audiobook performed by Katherine Lee McEwan and Philip Battley
4****

Ellie Jacob goes for a walk on the anniversary of her father’s death and stumbles upon a barn. Dan Hollis is a harp maker who uses the barn as his workshop. Dan isn’t like most people, but he is a kind and generous man. When he learns that Ellie has “playing the harp” on her “to do before I turn forty” list, he gives her one of the harps, and thus begins their relationship.

I really enjoyed this modern-day fable. I loved seeing how Ellie grew emotionally throughout the book, how she became more self-confident and came to recognize her situation clearly. Dan also grew throughout the book. He is clearly on the spectrum, but as he gets to know Ellie, he learns that he can expand his horizons beyond the barn and harps.

Both Ellie and Dan have loved ones who are fiercely (and perhaps, unwarrantedly) protective of them. Dan’s sister is suspicious of Ellie and of Dan’s girlfriend Rhoda (aka Roe Deer). Ellie’s husband Clive is suspicious of anyone/anything that takes attention away from him.

I loved spending time with these characters in the English moors. There are several bumps in the road here, but I was with them all along and Prior gave the reader a perfect heart-warming ending.

Katherine Lee McEwan and Philip Battley perform the audio edition of this work, alternating as the book’s point of view shifts between Ellie and Dan. This was very effective, and I’m glad the producers chose two narrators. Battley does a particularly good job of bringing Dan to life.

LINK to my review

[Booknblues]

You liked it more than I did, but it was a lovely little book in many ways.

I loved the harps and spent some time googling both the music and the harps.

I really loved what I learned and have since forgotten about harps.

[Book Concierge]

It would have been a nice touch if they included some harp music on the audio version. I remember how much I enjoyed listening to All the Light We Cannot See because the audio started and ended with a piano recital of Clair de Lune

[Booknblues]

Book Concierge wrote: "It would have been a nice touch if they included some harp music on the audio version. I remember how much I enjoyed listening to All the Light We Cannot See because the audio start..."

That would have been good. If I remember right, either in the forward or afterword, there was a link about the type of harps Dan made. I can't remember if the author played harp or really liked them.

I actually found this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDeze...