The Orenda
A Novel
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The Orenda
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Narrated by:
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Ali Ahn
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Graham Rowat
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Edoardo Ballerini
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Written by:
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Joseph Boyden
About this listen
History reveals itself when, in the 17th century, a Jesuit missionary ventures into the Canadian wilderness in search of converts - the defining moment of first contact between radically different worlds. What unfolds over the next several years is truly epic, constantly illuminating and surprising, sometimes comic, always entrancing, and ultimately all too human in its tragic grandeur.
Christophe has been in the New World only a year when his native guides abandon him to flee their Iroquois pursuers. A Huron warrior and elder named Bird soon takes him prisoner, along with a young Iroquois girl, Snow Falls, whose family he has just killed, and holds them captive in his massive village. Champlain's Iron People have only recently begun trading with the Huron, who mistrust them as well as this Crow who has now trespassed on to their land; and her people, of course, have become the Huron's greatest enemy. Putting both to death would resolve the issue, but Bird sees Christophe as a potential envoy to those in New France, and Snow Falls as a replacement for his two daughters who were murdered by the Iroquois.
The relationships between these three are reshaped again and again as life comes at them relentlessly: A dangerous trading mission, friendly exchanges with allied tribes, shocking victories and defeats in battle, and sicknesses the likes of which no one has ever witnessed.
The Orenda traces a story of blood and hope, suspicion and trust, hatred and love, that comes to a head when Jesuit and Huron join together against the stupendous wrath of the Iroquois, when everything that any of them has ever known or believed faces nothing less than annihilation. A saga nearly 400 years old, it is also timeless and eternal.
©2013 Joseph Boyden (P)2014 Recorded BooksFeatured Article: 19 Award-Winning Canadian Fiction Audiobooks to Add to Your Listening List
Canada knows how to write a story, and it has the awards to prove it. These 19 incredible audiobooks are Canadian fiction at its award-winning best.
What listeners say about The Orenda
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Griffin Evans
- 2018-05-13
Great Characters
The characters in the novel were amazingly developed. The ending did lack some closure though.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- HittsMcGee
- 2022-08-12
These characters became a part of my life
Boyden writes an adventure drama that sees three protagonists lives intertwine. The growth of each character lights my heart up.
Be warned, there is gore. But also love and comedy - lots of comedy.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2017-10-12
thoroughly enjoyable
An immensely moving listen that I would thoroughly recommend to all. Made a very long train ride seem very short.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stuart Kerr
- 2018-07-11
Incredible perspective from a different world
A fantastic tale of what life may have been like at the time white settlers first started living amongst the native Americans. We have it so easy today. Great narration in this audiobook, when it was over I found myself missing the characters voices. Enjoy!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- william gary irwin
- 2018-03-22
Excellent, and enlightening
This book made me respect first Nations more, feel more for what happened to them, but it wasn't done in a judgmental way, it was subtle, lets you roll your eyes, and shake your head at the European ignorance, and arrogance, rather than shove it down your throat.
I've read critical reviews from native people, all I can say is it gave me a great fondness for their ancestors, and a renewed anger at my own European ancestors.
great book.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- john martland
- 2018-07-29
Outstanding
Boyden leaves the reader with a far better understanding of our Indigenous peoples and the role of the Missionaries.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- R Belanger
- 2019-11-03
Canadian history told through 3 people
I liked the story and its intertwined references to Canada's history.
I did role my eyes more than once and mock the Over... Dramatic... Reading...
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Kaitlin M
- 2022-03-31
Disturbing
Well written but so gruesome. Why were there entire chapters devoted to describing sickening torture in such graphic detail?
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lukasz Picur
- 2020-05-27
beautiful
Loved it! I cried near the end of the book . Very well written and easy to follow
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jeff Gallant
- 2022-03-04
all time favorite. write more already
This book makes me a better canadian, parent and person in general. Favorite book of all time.
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