Sisters Rachel and Drew Snow—portrayed by Amanda Cobb and Meredith Orlow—are in the midst of dealing with their Japanese mother’s dementia when, in a moment of clarity, she tells them to get a book from her sewing room. It’s the tale of a Samurai woman, Tomoe Gozen, who is portrayed by Tandy Cronyn in a deep, wizened voice. As the sisters come to terms with their mother’s demise, Cobb and Orlow convincingly portray their painful pasts and hidden secrets, while the story of Tomoe inspires them to find their inner strength. One distraction with all three narrators is that it’s often difficult to tell if characters are thinking or actually speaking aloud—and it’s sometimes difficult to tell which character is speaking. These challenges for listeners seem to be somewhat caused by the author’s unusual approach to the story.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 13 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781490650791
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An astonishingly unique historical novel, which begins in Trinidad in the 1940s, this is an example of the best that an audiobook can offer. The two narrators, Ron Butler and Bahni Turpin, are superb choices who move the listener smoothly between the two main characters. Farook and Marcia Garcia are star-crossed lovers who don’t have fate on their side. Turpin evokes the rhythms of English as spoken in Trinidad, lyrical, and rhythmic. Through her confident narrative style, Marica Garcia comes across as a strong, beleaguered young woman. Her trials evoke empathy in the listener. Butler establishes the contorted choices that face Farook as an Indian man who is prevented by racism from marrying his true love. This sprawling tale spans Trinidad and the United States, from the 1940s-1960s.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 13 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Sometimes a book pulls you in and holds on tight--this is definitely one of those. Narrator Erin Bennett is warm, engaging, and enthusiastic as Mallory Blessing and a host of wide-ranging, multidimensional characters. As the story begins, Mallory is dying and her son, Link, is given instructions to call a strange number belonging to Jake McCloud. Listeners are soon taken on a journey back in time as their 28-year love story unfolds. Bennett's narration perfectly matches each stage of Mallory's life--and her unconventional "same time next year" relationship with Jake--as she finds her place on Nantucket. Best of all, each chapter opens with a list of "things we were talking about" during each of the 28 years, making the novel's journey back in time even more memorable for listeners.
Pub Date: June 30, 2020
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549117367
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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