Narrating her own work with relaxed ease, Sarah Winman begins her historical novel with a chance encounter between refreshingly unique characters. Ulysses Temper, a British soldier, and Evelyn Skinner, an art preservationist, forge a deep connection while hiding out in a bombed-out Italian village near the end of WWII. Ulysses eventually returns to work in a tavern in London, and the banter in the bar requires a good deal of mental energy for listeners to follow. Winman's melodious cadence and soft English accent are pleasing but insufficient during long blocks of dialogue. Each quirky character needs their own distinguishable energy and voice, although Winman deserves kudos for her stellar job of voicing the bar's cantankerous talking parrot.
Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593453339
Publisher: Penguin 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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