I found this book absolutely enchanting. The characters are delightful and the animals such wonderful characters. I became really attached to them all. The end was very satisfying.

A terrific story about life, love and animals. It takes you on a remarkable journey of highs and lows, through history and fantasy, all wrapped up in a dog blanket. Loved it!

How do you classify this novel? Magical Realism? Romantic Historical Fiction? So much is going on in such a beautiful setting as Ireland. "The Listeners" are women who are gifted with ability to communicate with animals...If only we all could. I couldn't put it down as I was wishing that I could have the same gift. I cheered when the bad guys got their just desserts. I cried when the innocents suffered. I rejoiced when things finally went well for Fiona, the lead. A really good read and tells the truth about the mistreatment of the Irish at the hands of the British. So you get a bit of a history lesson too.

My dog informs me that there will be a sequel to this book. I hope he is right because I'm ready to read more. 

I live in sunny Southern California - where a November day is never anything but sunny! When I picked up The Listener and started reading from the very first page, I was immediately transported to another time, another place, and and left modern day life in L.A. far, far behind...

What can I write? Fiona - what a lovely magical being... and her canine cohort? Sublime.
Gaudiano crafts every word, turns every whisper to the delight of this reader.

Thank DOG - there is a glossary of Irish /Gaelic slang at the beginning! May I suggest to other gentle readers - to give it more than a cursory glance before starting to read? Don't disrupt the magick! So put the kettle on, place a few more logs on the fire, and be prepared to be enraptured with this captivating tale - The Listener is delicious enough to read in one sitting, but do savour it over several days...I do hope that there will many more of Fiona's adventures to follow.

This wonderful story takes us on a journey that enthralls and surprises. So much humanity and inhumanity mixed with the joys and strains of family life as well as lawlessness and injustice. The heroine is gifted with an unusual gift of communicating with animals that is at the heart of the story.

Beautiful book, well written and a great story line.