Beanland's novel stands out as its nine deft narrators add multiple perspectives to the storytelling. The story unfolds in Atlantic City in 1934. Listeners meet a confident young lady, a grieving mother, a desperate Jewish refugee, a flailing husband, a perplexed sister, a distracted child, a despondent heir, and a frantic father who are all trying to navigate secrets, pride, and loss. When tragedy strikes, the narrators rise to the demands of depicting various degrees of coping as the characters navigate trying times. Authentic-sounding accents and even pacing add to the effectiveness of their performances. Listeners should not miss the author's note, in which Bean recounts her inspiration for this story.
Pub Date: July 7, 2020
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797107059
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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