British actress Lucy Rayner chose an artful, breathy delivery for this debut historical novel set in 13th-century Bruges. The dreamy tone isn't for an impatient listener, but it suits the telling of this carefully-researched and affecting story. Aleys, an unusual young woman in that era's strict patriarchal society, is drawn to pursue academic knowledge and a personal relationship with the sacred. Her twin passions lead to dangerous conflict with church authorities, but not before Aleys reaches for the divine. Rayner combines crisp enunciation with a lingering appreciation of the lyrical prose, which emphasizes expository writing over dialogue. What is a miracle, and who is allowed to experience one?
Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798347716081
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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