Listen to a sample
Before Dorothy
- Author
- Hazel Gaynor
- Narrator
- Saskia Maarleveld
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 19 June 2025
- Run Time
- 10 hours 36 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
Now a USA Today Bestseller!
The greatest journey is the one you least expect…'Swept me off my feet! A jewel of a novel – it simply sparkles' Evie Woods
‘A treat of a book, utterly transporting' Eve Chase
______________________________________________
Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own unforgettable adventure much closer to home…
When news reaches Kansas that her beloved sister has tragically died, Emily Gale must become a mother overnight. Her sister’s orphaned child, Dorothy, desperately needs a home.
But Emily doubts her ability to fill her sister’s shoes; her life on the barren Kansas prairies is no place for a child.
On the unforgiving plains, Emily's courage is endlessly tested. The prolonged drought and relentless dust storms threaten to destroy everything – including her home and her marriage.
Can Emily overcome her grief and let Dorothy heal her heart?
From the promise of Chicago in the 1920s to the harsh beauty of the Kansas prairie during the dust bowl of the 1930s, this is a story of family, duty and one woman’s journey of self-discovery.
Readers LOVE Before Dorothy
'A story as glimmering as the Emerald City and as hopeful as Dorothy herself' Kristin Harmel
'[An] enchanting and powerful tale of grief, love and self-discovery' Heat
'Captivating, luminous, spell-binding' Fiona Valpy
'Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time, this is my favourite Hazel Gaynor novel to date, and I've read them all. Loved it!' Gill Paul
'An epic tale, a triumph of imagination and beautifully written' Amanda Geard
Critics Review
-
‘An imaginative tour-de-force! […] Gaynor takes an ingenious idea and transforms it into a book that will enchant readers everywhere’ Natasha Lester
-
‘Em and the Kansas prairies come alive in this utterly immersive, genuinely moving and beautifully written novel’ Catherine Ryan Howard
-
'A story as glimmering as the Emerald City and as hopeful as Dorothy herself, Hazel Gaynor's latest is an important and enchanting addition to the canon of Oz' Kristin Harmel
-
'What a sublime achievement! Before Dorothy is loaded with imagination…this epic novel will grip you from page one' Jennifer Ryan
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
'Like Dorothy stepping into Oz, Hazel Gaynor’s new novel pulls Auntie Em out of a black and white background and into a full-color world all her own' Sarah Miller
-
'A brilliant idea, superbly executed…Auntie Em and Dorothy are brought fully to life in this memorable tale of hardship and love in America’s dust bowl' Maggie Brookes
-
'Exquisitely written […] the themes of home, family and belonging are acutely and tenderly observed […] an absolute triumph and in contention for my book of 2025!' Louise Fein
-
'It is impossible not to become lost in this tender, heartbreaking reimagining of the story of Auntie Em…a beautiful book' Julia Kelly
-
'I was so intrigued by the brilliant premise of Before Dorothy, and the story I found waiting blew me away…A truly wondrous tale' Jenny Ashcroft
-
'Clever, original, and immersive' Carmel Harrington
-
'Just wonderful – warm and immersive like all Hazel's books and with that easy-to-read quality that draws you right in' Tracy Rees
-
'Lush, immersive, spellbinding' Kate Thompson
-
'Hazel Gaynor does a Wicked on Auntie Em,' RTE Guide
-
'A heartfelt work of fiction that brings to life the gritty reality of Depression-era hardships upon one family. It weaves a tale of complex family struggles, personal endurance through devastating trials, and opening of the heart to discover unexpected joys in everyday life.' Historical Novel Society
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Hazel Gaynor
- Narrator
- Saskia Maarleveld
- Duration
- 10 hours 36 minutes
- Release Date
- 19 June 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008518745
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Narrative theme: identity / belonging, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Narrative theme: displacement, exile, migration
Synopsis
Now a USA Today Bestseller! The greatest journey is the one you least expect… 'Swept me off my feet! A jewel of a novel – it simply sparkles' Evie Woods ‘A treat of a book, utterly transporting' Eve Chase ______________________________________________ Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own unforgettable adventure much closer to home… When news reaches Kansas that her beloved sister has tragically died, Emily Gale must become a mother overnight. Her sister’s orphaned child, Dorothy, desperately needs a home. But Emily doubts her ability to fill her sister’s shoes; her life on the barren Kansas prairies is no place for a child. On the unforgiving plains, Emily's courage is endlessly tested. The prolonged drought and relentless dust storms threaten to destroy everything – including her home and her marriage. Can Emily overcome her grief and let Dorothy heal her heart? From the promise of Chicago in the 1920s to the harsh beauty of the Kansas prairie during the dust bowl of the 1930s, this is a story of family, duty and one woman’s journey of self-discovery. Readers LOVE Before Dorothy 'A story as glimmering as the Emerald City and as hopeful as Dorothy herself' Kristin Harmel '[An] enchanting and powerful tale of grief, love and self-discovery' Heat 'Captivating, luminous, spell-binding' Fiona Valpy 'Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time, this is my favourite Hazel Gaynor novel to date, and I've read them all. Loved it!' Gill Paul 'An epic tale, a triumph of imagination and beautifully written' Amanda Geard
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.