What happens after the fairy tale is not always a happy ending. Esther Wane narrates this bewitching extension to the tale of Hansel and Gretel, set in seventeenth-century Germany. Wane's range of character accents brings a magical essence to the story. Fifteen years after they escaped the witch in the gingerbread house, Hans and Greta are having a hard time surviving. Villagers are suspicious of Greta's addictive baked goods, Hans's ceaseless gambling is attracting violent debt collectors, their father and stepmother have passed, and the countryside is left in ruins in the aftermath of war. Above all else, dark magic is returning. Wane's beautiful narration brings it all to life.
Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
Duration: 14 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250291790
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A heartwarming listening experience touched by magic.
Genevieve Cocke narrates this fantasy audiobook set in 1920s Montreal. Agnes is desperate to find a new home for her cat shelter and herself after a magical duel in front of her building left only three walls standing. For this and other reasons, Agnes is not a fan of magic, but the only person willing to rent to her and her feline rescues is Havelock, a notorious magician. Cocke endows Havelock with a Quebecois accent, although most other characters have no identifiable accent. Agnes prepares a checklist for most everything, and Cocke makes her organized but not officious. Cocke instills personality in the many secondary characters, including the cats.
A heartwarming listening experience touched by magic.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217279272
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
In an audiobook with an atmosphere reminiscent of Twin Peaks, Myers renders the incredible as curiously commonplace.
Narrator Jay Myers makes quirky characters and the wonders of a word filled with fantastical beings sound pretty normal. It begins when Green has a near-death experience, discovers a giant crow looking down at him, and finds a mysterious acorn in his pocket. Not long thereafter, he heads for the hills to try to figure out what really happened to him. He meets Valentina, who dubs him a cryptonaturalist for his ability to see incredible creatures. She agrees to mentor him. Myers adopts a persona for Green that emphasizes his ordinariness, except for his ability to see the creatures. Myers’ voice for Valentina is appropriate for someone who is more than five centuries old.
In an audiobook with an atmosphere reminiscent of Twin Peaks, Myers renders the incredible as curiously commonplace.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217176182
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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