Narrator Bahni Turpin weaves a tapestry of accents and experiences in this layered fantasy. The birth and burial of a slave's stillborn child on the island now known as Haiti unleashes the power of the goddess Ezili into the lives of women stretching across centuries. Turpin's gifts as a narrator make this rich concept sing as she shifts seamlessly among accents and tones fitting not only the main characters but also a vast array of others inhabiting very different worlds. From midwife Mer's frequent vocalizations of surprise and resignation to Jeanne's flirty, flighty French tones to the surprisingly modern observations of the former Nubian prostitute known as Saint Mary, the women Turpin voices are all distinct and memorable. Turpin's performance draws listeners into this top-notch production.
Pub Date: Oct. 30, 2018
Duration: 13 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781541449060
Publisher: Tantor Media
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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