Soneela Nankani dynamically narrates this unique mystery. Sana and her father move to an old South African estate that has been repurposed as housing for those seeking shelter. Still grieving the passing of her mother, Sana tries to make connections with the other tenants and stumbles into the bedroom of the estate's former resident and her djinn. Nankani charmingly delivers Sana's investigation of the estate. Her performance seamlessly weaves suspenseful moments and hopeful discoveries. Although the djinn is depicted as an invisible entity, Sana's interactions with it are performed with so much care that listeners will feel the genuine connection between the two characters.
Pub Date: 2024
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593789704
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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