In her equable reading, Jackie Chung offers virtually no embellishments for this novel, set in the fictional Chinese city of Muddy River in 1979. Perhaps Chung realizes that no fireworks are necessary, and that Li's novel, so restrained itself, but no less harrowing for it, requires no artificial pumping up. The disparate characters live in the uneasy shadow of the Cultural Revolution but also at the beginning of pro-democracy activism. That uneasy tension is apparent as the characters deal in their various ways with the awful event of one particular day when a young woman is scheduled to be executed as a counterrevolutionary. The cruelties not only of a totalitarian regime but also of a hidebound culture are equally hard to bear. To her credit, Chung doesn't try to manufacture emotion, realizing it's not at all necessary.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2009
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Escape on a thrilling adventure with Soneela Nankani and Andrew Eiden as they narrate this suspenseful romance. A year has passed since Simi Chopra, her assorted crew, and Jack Danger pulled off a lucrative diamond heist. Now, the Chicago Mafia boss is demanding that the jewels be returned, so Simi gets the team back together. Nankani delivers an expressive performance that emphasizes Simi's conflict between her passion for Jack and the mission. Her distinct character voices keep the listener fully immersed. Eiden's lively tone gives Jack a subtle flair and confidence that make him easy to forgive and to love.
Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2024
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593907467
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This is not a story about guns, but about blue pearls. Gerald Browne takes us to the Pacific Ocean and the world of pearl divers and natural gems and mixes in mystery, intrigue and suspense. Barry Bostwick portrays the characters in one voice, varying his intonation slightly for the Asian personalities. His reading style is very smooth, evidence of preparation and interest in the story. 18mm Blues is abridged well, collecting the important elements of the story. Unobtrusive music indicates the end of each side. Disappear into the mystery of the Far East and one of its most beautiful commodities.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1993
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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