Anne Dodge lives with her father in a Depression-era mill town in Rhode Island. Her Portuguese mother left when she was 6-years-old, and, years later, after her mother’s death, Anne learns she has a younger half-sister, Maria Cristina. The body of a young Portuguese man washes up on shore. Maria Cristina comes to live with Anne and her father. Problems ensue as secrets unfold. Thanks to Tavia Gilbert’s sensitive reading, the structural flaws in this debut novel are less apparent, but immigration issues, politics, economic downturns, racial discrimination, a murder, and a slew of extraneous details clog the otherwise promising plot. Gilbert’s Portuguese accent sounds more Italian than Portuguese, but her energy, pleasant voice, and intelligent performance keep the story from bogging down.
Pub Date: July 26, 2011
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781611202496
Publisher: Dreamscape
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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