It's a turbulent time in France, when neighbors inform on neighbors, when a quiet word in the wrong ears can bring about torture and death. Hattie Morahan's similarly quiet voice threads through this story of the Inquisition and century-old secrets. In sixteenth-century Languedoc, 19-year-old Minou Joubert, the bookseller's daughter, encounters Piet Reydon, a Huguenot convert, first in Carcassonne and later in Toulouse. Morahan's slow, precise, and melodious performance lulls the listener into thinking all is well while tensions and fear abound. Morahan imbues Minou's voice with grace and charm, while Piet is portrayed as a confident man who hides his secrets well. The novel, based on complex religious wars and migrations over three hundred years, comes to life in Morahan's dulcet, cultured, yet minimally inflected narration.
Pub Date: June 18, 2019
Duration: 17 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250223951
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
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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