Chris

A Fairy Tale Deserves a Proper Story Teller

Revisado: 03-06-24

Unfortunately, we did not get a proper teller of fairy tales with this narrator. In a regular book this narrator would have disappointed me with his stereotypical voice for female characters that all lackluster male narrators seem to choose (for real, I have yet to meet a women who speaks this way). In a regular book this narrator would have frustrated me with an inability to discern any character from another except for their apparent gender. But in a Holly Black book? It was devastating and distracted from the story again and again.

I don’t like being mean, but I’m dyslexic so audiobooks are the main way I get stories and it was such a disappointment and I truly don’t understand why Saskia Maarleveld wasn’t used for this. She brought so many of these characters to life. I didn’t expect her to do Carden the way Caitlin Kelly did, but she did a brilliant and unique take with Oak’s and Wren’s voice.

This narrator couldn’t do justice to Oak’s honey mouth or really any of the other characters. I knew I was in trouble when he did the Thistle witch in this light breathy voice (a HAG from a swamp with a breathy voice!?). But Wren’s voice was such a disservice. Her vocal cords are supposed to be scarred. She’s WILD and feral and powerful. But her voice was no different than any other female character in this narration. No change in her cadence at all. Wren has words almost burst from her, out of control, she shouldn’t be talking with the same amount of pauses when she starts to unravel.

Gender should not be the main reason for a difference in how a character speaks, especially their cadence. This is especially true in a book like Holly Black’s that presents gender as it is: a lot more fluid.

It wasn’t just the characters voice choices that distracted me, it was the overall narration. If it had been a regular book I wouldn’t have cared much. But Holly Black weaves such pretty and wicked tales. I adore the ways Maarleveld, Kelly and Sara Amini (Book of Night) seemed to infuse a fairytale lilt into their voices.

As for the story I loved it. But again, my main love of Hollys Black’s books is the fairytale telling, the gender bending, and the powerful women and it was hard to appreciate it with this narration. Normally I would relisten to an audiobook I liked many times. I loved the first trilogy and short stories, the Stolen Heir and Book of Night enough to relisten to it right away. And again every few years. But with this audiobook I don’t think I can do it. Which is very sad. I would very seriously pay 3 credits, maybe more if I could get this book redone by Maarleveld.

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Fun, sexy and good story

Revisado: 06-04-19

I don't love it as much as Kate Daniels, but it is suuuper fun. My only wish is that it were less heternormative and masculine, she writes such good romance I would just love it if the love interest was a powerful and rich woman and change nothing else. Also a really great story with excellent twists and charactor development and world building. The voice actress is great and did the Kate Daniels series too.

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The Enemy of Putin is not Your Friend

Revisado: 11-29-18

I bought this book because I wanted to learn more about Russia, Putin and the Magnitsky Act
I was prepared for a gross capitlist, but man he is trash. He is so gross and narcissistic, that I don't trust his viewpoint, which makes slathering through his sexist describtions of women just not worth it.

You would think all the murdering of journalists would penetrate his narcissism, but like Mcfaul, he can't see past his ego. This man travels with a paid army and thinks he is brave for taking on the oligarchs, when he is really just greedy. He mocks the Russian oligarchs for not investing in Russia while he takes Russian money to make the west rich. He mocks the work ethic of Russians and their lack of education while unable and unwilling to learn Russian.

I made it to 1999, can't get further. I am sick of capitalists from the west that raided Russia being the experts here. I guess the female Journalists and human rights advocates that called it right were already assassinated...

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

great narrator great author

Revisado: 05-17-18

absolutely loved this book I highly recommend both the narrator and the author. I really struggled with the other book by this author in print I had a hard time following the many names but this narrator does different voices and does the correct pronunciation of the names and it is just a wonderful story with great characters

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Best Fairytale Interpretation

Revisado: 03-31-18

This is the best version of a Disney fairytale I have ever heard, read or watched. It wasn't derivative at all. Ana uses Beauty and the Beast almost as a setting for xer story. The story is all xers. It is short, simple and bitter sweet. The narrator has a wonderful voice.


small spoiler below.




..............spoiler...............

It does not end happy. I recommend Ana's fairytale trilogy Poison Kiss and then Survival Rout if you want happier endings. Though I suppose she hasn't finished the last one yet, so who knows. Either way, I usually like happy endings, but I liked this ending too, it was really good if sad.

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lovely enjoyable fantasy book

Revisado: 02-26-18

really great book, I really enjoyed the world building, the characters, the writing and the narration.

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