About this book
A Brother to Dragons and Other Old-time Tales by Amélie Rives beckons listeners into a late-Victorian collection where ghostly rumor, rustic balladry, and courtly intrigue entwine. These richly atmospheric short stories—first appearing in 1880s periodicals—mix historical imagination with the lyrical touch of a confident young author exploring love, loyalty, and the uneasy border between superstition and reason.
The title novella, set in 1586, unfolds around a haunted blue chamber, twin heirs, and a devoted nurse whose recollections unlock a tapestry of family secrets without sacrificing mystery. Other pieces, like "The Farrier Lass o' Piping Pebworth" and the wryly narrated "Nurse Crumpet Tells the Story," draw on folk motifs, pastoral life, and wry social observation to create varied moods from tender to eerie. Across the collection, Rives’ prose balances Gothic suggestion and literary finesse, offering both vivid period detail and timeless human dilemmas.
Ideal for listeners who love classic fiction, historical short stories, or Victorian-era literature with a hint of the supernatural, this audiobook rewards anyone craving elegant storytelling, atmospheric scenes, and the voice of a distinct 19th-century woman writer.
