This well-written and beautifully performed story about the French Revolution is seen through the eyes of a young aristocrat. Hélène d'Aubign's life is recounted in flashbacks as she awaits trial in jail. Narrator Sarah Naughton draws listeners in with her splendid pronunciation of the French phrases scattered throughout this audiobook. Naughton's most stunning scene is the near rape that occurs after Hélène refuses to marry a man she does not love. The brutal drama and sexual threat Naughton generates may keep listeners awake for hours. Hélène must find her place in the new Paris, and she also must find her true identity. The history is factual, the characters are authentic, and Sarah Naughton is superb.
(Historical fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2021
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781094059709
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
"Neither a master nor nigger be," Tall John admonishes "47" early and often in this young adult novel, which is part mystery, part historical fiction, and part science fiction. In one of his final performances, the late, great Ossie Davis has left us with a treasured gift. He becomes "47," a fourteen-year-old slave on the Corinthian Plantation in the year 1832. Davis's wonderful gravelly voice lends a touch of realism to this surreal story. The novel, Mosley's first for young adults, has enough complex layers to keep adults involved. Listen as a family--the story may inspire some interesting discussions on freedom and the dynamics of the master/slave relationship.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a graceful blending of fact and fiction, Cooper creates a cast of quirky royals who've fallen on hard times. It's 1936. The Nazis are becoming a world force, and 16-year-old Princess Sophie is stuck in the family's "fortified house," on an island kingdom in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, halfway between France and Spain. Emma Bering offers a sweet narration of Sophie's journal entries about highly “un-aristocratic” drudgery, romantic daydreams, dark suspicions, and the surprise presence of some very real Nazis. Bering's childlike voice adds charm to Sophie's spirited observations of her tomboy sister, Henry; brother, Toby; handsome Simon; and brilliant cousin, Veronica. Once young listeners overcome the story’s lengthy exposition in the early parts, they'll find themselves caught up in a thrilling adventure.
Young AdultPub Date: Jan. 12, 2010
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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