Mary Sharratt's gripping novel places listeners directly into the hardships, superstitions, and brutality of the fifteenth century. Polly Lee's impressive narration brings out the humanity and courage of two female mystics. After bearing her 14th child, Margery Kempe worries that her husband won't honor their vow of celibacy. She seeks counsel from the famous holy woman Julian of Norwich. When Margery confesses she's had ecstatic visions, Julian encourages her to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Lee makes us feel Margery's anguish, guilt, and exhilaration at leaving her family for a journey into the unknown. Lee is exceptional at delivering the emotional moments when Margery is in a vision state. Sharratt's unusual story and Lee's impressive performance make REVELATIONS a win-win for listeners.
Pub Date: April 27, 2021
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780358450436
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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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