Quyen Ngo is a firm feminist voice for this historical novel about two famed Vietnamese sisters who worked together to save their country from Chinese domination--in CE 40, no less. Fans of world literature will find much to admire in this fast-paced, lyrical story, told by a confident narrator. The sisters' privileged lives fall apart after the murder of their father amid the unrelenting pressure of the encroaching Chinese. Ngo captures the sisters' youthful spirit and steely determination as they unite their people against a colonial adversary. This will be a new tale to many, one that Ngo brings vividly to life.
Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2022
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668605745
Publisher: Hachette Audio
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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