Audiobook review: The Apothecary by Maile Maloy

The Apothecary by Maile Maloy
Genre: YA historical fantasy
Length: 7h 35m
Audio publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, 2011
Read by: Cristin Milioti
From: Library

Story: In 1952, Janie moves from Los Angeles to London. The cool guy at school, Benjamin, also happens to be the son of the neighborhood apothecary. When the Benjamin's dad is kidnapped, he and Janie must keep safe his ancient book, the Pharmacopoeia. That doesn't mean they can't try out some of its secrets...

Thoughts: The Apothecary is a fun story of kids trying fit in and learning about a mysterious magic world right under their nose. Set in 1952, it takes place in a very realistic London where there are no sock hops or poodle skirts but instead food shortages and ration cards. Everything is backwards and grey in London after sunny Los Angeles, and I really felt for Janie as she adjusted to her new school and life. Then Benjamin catches her eye with his non-conformist ways and the story takes off with kidnappings, chases, murder, and magic.

Reading: Cristin Milioti's young-sounding voice works well for 14 year-old Janie. I liked all of the British accents she was able to put into the story, especially dreamy Benjamin.

Final thoughts: The Apothecary is a fun story of magic and growing up that stands well on its own while still leaving some room for sequels.

Grade: 4 out of 5

Audiobook Review: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

"In one respect at least the Martians are a happy people; they have no lawyers." -- John Carter, A Princess of Mars

A Princess of Mars (1917) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Genre: Science fiction romance
Length: 7h 26m
Audio publisher: LibriVox, 2008
Read by: Marc Nelson
Download audiobook from LibriVox
Download ebook from Project Gutenberg

Story: After ending the War of Northern Aggression on the less than victorious side, Captain John Carter of Virginia traveled West to look for gold. In Arizona he found a strange cave where he passes out and later wakes up on what must be Mars. John is then taken captive by its mysterious green inhabitants. Luckily, due to the limited Martian gravity, John possesses extraordinary strength, speed, and the ability to leap tall buildings. John spends his time learning the language and customs of the green Martians until the day they take another prisoner, this time a red Martian who looks almost human and happens to be a princess.

Thoughts: A Princess of Mars follows John Carter through his various Martian adventures. The beginning spends a lot of time describing the green Martians' way of life: their social structure, class system, methods of reproduction, manner of education. Even though these digressions are pretty dry, I came to enjoy them since they're very detailed and well thought-out. The group of Martians that finds John Carter is well described, but the other types of Martians, especially the red Martians, are not as well-formed. The red Martians look like humans and are more technologically advanced than the green, but I wasn't sure how their social structure differed. Mars is a very violent place.  Everyone is obsessed by war, and all conflicts are solved by killing. Sometimes John Carter comes up with a clever instead of a violent solution, but these are few and far between.
Usually he just uses his fists. And his superpowers.

My favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of the Martian technology, especially their oxygen creation system. I would have liked to learn more about those aspects and less about hand-to-hand combat.

I wasn't prepared for the very dense writing style in A Princess of Mars, but I loved it. Here's an example:

I do not believe that I am made of the stuff which constitutes heroes, because, in all of the hundreds of instances that my voluntary acts have placed me face to face with death, I cannot recall a single one where any alternative step to that I took occurred to me until many hours later.

The whole book is written like that. It's fun to listen to, but I could only handle it for short stretches. I missed a lot of the beauty of the phrasing by listening to the audio since I was focused on the words' meaning instead of their placement, but I don't know if I'd have been able to power through the visual version. I can barely get through that sentence.

I also had a few issues with continuity. There are said to be no mammals on Mars, but everyone sleeps on furs. More confusing was John Carter's ability to read minds, which came and went. He's also the only person who can lie, but then meets up with other liers, so maybe it's only green Martians who tell the truth. I did like how they were all vegetarians.

Reading: Marc Nelson did a fabulous job. I can't imagine reading some of that text silently, never mind aloud. He flawlessly delivered every run-on sentence and compound prepositional phrase in a way that brought out the meanings of the words and made them fun.

Final thoughts: While I'm glad I listened to A Princess of Mars, I'm not clamoring to listen to its many sequels.The story is interesting for historical value, and it has a lot of great ideas scattered through, but the emphasis on mindless violence turned me off.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

This book qualifies for several challenges as a science fiction classic:

Trencarrow Secret by Anita Davison

Trencarrow Secret by Anita Davison
Genre: Gothic historical romance
Length: 12h 22m
Audio publisher: Iambik audio, 2011
Read by: Ruth Golding

Story: Isabel Hart is almost twenty-one and has lived a very sheltered life. She has debilitating fears of the lake and the maze at her family's country house. She is also afraid to acknowledge the many secrets her family keeps: her mother's illness, her father's way of coping, why her fiance wants to marry her, her sister's early life. As she begins overcoming her fears, Isabel starts to see her family as they really are, and the true secrets of Trencarrow are revealed.

Thoughts: Trencarrow Secret could be described as Gothic, but it doesn't take place in the traditional Gothic setting. Trencarrow is an open and airy mansion filled with the Harts' friends and relations all congregating for Isabel's twenty-first birthday. The Gothic moodiness is in Isabel's mind, where her fears cast a shadow over everything and everyone. Isabel is naive and acts young for her age, although this could be a realistic portrayal of a sheltered gentleman's daughter of the time: dutiful, docile, and a slave to propriety.

Romance is on the sidelines as Isabel thinks about what she wants from life and from marriage. As the story progresses, more and more people reveal their true selves to Isabel, and she tries to come to terms with the unwelcome changes around her. The book moves fairly slowly as each person's secret is revealed. Mystery is downplayed as the secrets are plain to everyone except Isabel, and she wants to keep them hidden.

I enjoyed this book more in hindsight than while listening to it. At the time I didn't quite know what to think. Some of the secrets were not secret at all while others were too well hidden. I wish the hidden ones had come out a little sooner so I could have enjoyed them more at the time.

Reading: Ruth Golding does a fabulous job. Her older-sounding voice lends a feel of nostalgia to the story, as if Isabel is thinking back to her time in Trencarrow. The voice for Isabel is childish and whining, fitting the character. Sometimes the younger female voices started to sound a little similar, especially Isabel and Laura, but I enjoyed her male voices immensely.


Final thoughts: Not quite a romance and not quite a mystery, Trencarrow Secret is more Gothic in hindsight than it appears at first glance.


Grade: 3.5 out of 5

Thanks to Iambik and Audiobook Jukebox for providing an audio copy of this book for review.

Audiobook review: Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

"Interesting...in an eerily nasty way."  - Richard St Vier, Swordspoint

Swordspoint (1987) by Ellen Kushner
Series: Book one of the Riverside series
Genre: fiction
Length: 10h 54m
Audio publisher: Neil Gaiman Presents, 2011
Read by: Ellen Kushner, Dion Graham, Katherine Kellgren, Robert Fass, Nick Sullivan, Simon Jones, and full cast

Story: Richard St. Vier is the greatest swordsman in Riverside. He is constantly in demand for nobles' parties and to settle points of honor, but he doesn't do weddings. St. Vier puts his life on the line each job he takes, but life is cheap. Everyone dies. Honor and reputation are what's precious. Now Richard is a pawn in the power games played by the city's bored nobility. Can he keep his honor, reputation, and life intact?

Thoughts: Swordspoint is described as "if Jane Austen wrote fantasy," but it's closer to Les Liaisons Dangereuses than Sense and Sensibility. The story follows several points of view from the slums of Riverside to the nobles' Hill as each person sets up their games of power using other people's lives. The book is subtitled "a melodrama of manners," and there is a lot of chocolate drinking. There are also Machiavellian politics, swordplay, theater, and revenge. The characters are compelling but hard to fathom as each has their own hidden motivations. Everyone uses everyone else, and only the quick survive. While Swordspoint's action takes place in a country that uses swords, there is no magic or fantastical elements in the book. It's fantasy because it takes place in a country with different laws and customs. And swords.

Production: I've had bad experiences with author-narrated audiobooks and with full-cast audiobooks, so when I found out Swordspoint was an author-narrated, full-cast audiobook, I was very apprehensive. Happily, my fears were unfounded. Ellen Kushner reads clearly and with grace, and it really sounds like she's having fun. She reads most of the book. The full cast is only brought in when there are larger group scenes. Occasional sound effects are added (doors opening, footfalls), and the full-cast sections has background sounds and music. I would think having a narrator read the voices of the main characters for most of the book and then switching to other people reading them for the group scenes would be confusing, but it works very well. Having the consistent narrator allowed me to sink into the story, and the infrequent group scenes were a fun diversion.

Final thoughts: If you've already read Swordspoint, the full-cast version is well done, and an excellent introduction to audiobooks. Swordspoint is also a good book if you enjoy stories of political intrigue or duels. No interest in fantasy needed.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

Bonus fact: Ellen Kushner wrote five choose your own adventure books including #56 The Enchanted Kingdom. This makes me happy.

Audiobook review: Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Series: First in the Art of Death series
Genre: historical mystery
Length: 13h 12m
Audio publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, 2007
Read by: Rosalyn Landor
From: local library

Story: Cambridge, 1171. A child has been murdered, and the town blames the local Jews. Since the Jewish population is locked in the local castle, they're not generating revenue. This doesn't sit well with King Henry II. In an effort to exonerate the Jews and get the taxes flowing, he sends for a "Master in the Art of Death."

Adelia is a physician and pathologist in progressive Sicily, but she could get herself killed in backwater England where women who know too much are called witches. Adelia needs to learn as much as she can about Cambridge's farmers, crusaders, tax collectors and clergy quickly and without giving offence, not her strong suit. She's not sure if she can trust anyone, but she has to find the killer before another child dies.

Thoughts: After a slow start with too much introduction (three preambles) the narrative takes off. Adelia is a fabulous, strong female character. I'm not sure if her difficulties relating to people are because she's Sicilian and doesn't understand English culture, because she's dedicated to her work so not picking up social cues, or if she just didn't care. She reminds me of the TV version of Bones, so she may have Asperger's syndrome. Of course, most of her issues are people saying "women don't do that," which she doesn't stand for. Instead, she fills us in on the state of medieval doctoring. I never know if washing one's hands in brandy is something one person of that time might think of or if it's all imposed on the characters from our modern perspective, but it's fun to see what goes on and what Adelia thinks about it. I especially liked her asking for vegetables and everyone else groaning about how she's such a picky eater.

Reading: Rosalyn Landor is an audiobook superstar. Her voices in Mistress of the Art of Death are spot-on, from the king to the sheep herder. I especially loved the little kids. She also aced my person audio hurdle by pronouncing "pastie" correctly. Not everyone does. Well done!

Final thoughts: A great medieval medical mystery. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

Audiobook Review Roundup: Snuff, Crossed, September Society

In between the great science fiction I've been listening to lately, I've had to clean by aural passages with some quick listens. These are all sequels or later in series by authors I know and love. They don't really need full reviews, but I wanted to share my two cents.

Snuff is the latest by Sir Terry Pratchett
39th in the Diskworld series
Genre: Fantasy
Audio publisher: Harper Audio, 2011; Length: 11h 29m
Read by: Stephen Briggs

If you've read Diskworld then you know Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch. In this outing, Sam and his wife, Lady Sybil, visit her country house with their young son. Now, I've read maybe ten Diskworld books. I knew Sam and Sybil were together, but didn't remember a son. Vimes is one of my favorite characters, so it's great to have another story with him. Snuff is marketed as a book for adults (as opposed to Wee Free Men), but there's an awful lot of scatological humor. My favorite part was when Sam and Sybil visited a family with six daughters, much like the Bennets. Sam tells the girls to quit sitting around waiting  for some unemployed layabout to marry them and instead find something productive to do like open a shop. He could give them a year's free rent. Priceless!

Stephen Briggs is an exceptionally good reader. I love his accents, and he really sounds like he's having fun with the reading.

Crossed by Ally Condie
Genre: YA dystopian SF
Audio publisher: Penguin Audio; Length: 9h 50m
Read by: Kate Simses & Jack Riccobono

I picked up Matched not knowing anything about the story, and it was such a pleasant surprise. I loved the YA retelling of 1984 and Brave New World. It was great learning about the Society, all of their rules, and the small ways that Cassia subverted those rules. Crossed takes us away from the Society as Cassia and Ky are each sent to the Outer Provinces. There's a lot of pining and some wandering in the desert. I have a very low tolerance for book love and prefer stories where the couple hates each other and calls each other names until they suddenly figure out at the very end that they're Meant to Be. Since Cassia and Ky found out they were Meant to Be in the last book, this one was all downhill. Even worse was hearing both Ky and Cassia's viewpoints. I didn't even have the "maybe he's not that interested in me" suspense. I will fess up that I have a huge crush on the radio announcer Kai Ryssdal from American Public Media's Marketplace, so I'm prewired to love anyone named Kai or Ky, but I'm still not at all excited for the next book in this series.

Crossed is very well read by Kate Simses and Jack Riccobono.

The September Society (2008) by Charles Finch
2nd in the Charles Lenox Mysteries
Genre: Historical mystery
Audio publisher: Tantor Audio; Length: 8h 46m
Read by: James Langton

I picked up the first Charles Lenox novel, A Beautiful Blue Death because I liked the cover. I also liked the story, and Lenox, the Victorian gentleman detective, won me over. The audiobooks just came out this year, so when I saw an ad for the 5th book, A Burial At Sea, I decided had to catch up. In this installment, Charles returns to his alma mater Oxford to solve a missing persons case. All his old quirky friends are here, neighbor Lady Jane Grey, manservant Graham, and eccentric physician friend Dr. McConnell. Lenox is a great detective. He's tenacious, has unlimited free time, and has People to do all the boring bits.

James Langton pulled out 20 or more different British accents for this book. The writing was very specific about which part of England each character was from, and even though I can't tell a Yorkshire from a Lancashire, but they all sounded spot-on to me. I also liked his female voices, which were equally distinct. I kept rewinding so I could listen longer.

Audiobook Review: Crossing Over by Anna Kendall

If you could talk to dead people, what would you ask?

Crossing Over
Author: Anna Kendall
Series: First book in Souvline Moor series
Genre: YA historical paranormal
Length: 9h 34m
Read by: Simon Vance
Audio publisher: Blackstone Audio, 2010
From: Library

Story: Roger can talk to the dead. He doesn't talk to ghosts. He goes to the land of the Dead and talks to them there. But Roger has to be careful. If anyone finds out about his talent, they'll think he's a witch, and witches are burned in the land of the Living.

Thoughts: There are several striking things about this book. First, the land of the Dead is great. It's huge and constantly changing. Roger has been crossing over since he was little and is completely unfazed by it. The inhabitants follow certain rules that Roger figured out a while ago, but I wonder how accurate he is. I would have liked Roger to use some trial and error during his trips, explore a little, and try new things. Have fun with his superpower! Instead, Roger treats his crosses like a dreary job.

Roger is not a hero. He admits to being a coward, but he's only afraid of the living. He's completely self-centered and self-absorbed. This is understandable since he's been abused and pretty much on his own, but he has no empathy. Roger is the only person he knows who can go to the land of the Dead and return at will, but he has no curiosity about why this is or desire to find anyone with similar abilities. He crosses to get information to further his aims, but he has no desire to learn about the people who are there or to help them in any way, even when his actions have unexpected consequences. He doesn't care much about the living, either, except for the targets of his obsessions.

I liked the theme of misinformation that runs through the book. Roger is constantly lying to people and they are lying to him. Most of the time, Roger doesn't care that they're lying. He doesn't try to figure out the truth. He just wants to survive. I like that a lot of things are never explained. People just say things and we never find out if it's the truth or not.

Although Roger's gift is the ability to cross over, he doesn't do it very often. The majority of the book follows Roger as he survives his harsh world of an abusive uncle, scarce food, and constant fear.

The tone of Crossing Over reminds me of the First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. In both series I want to be sympathetic to the protagonists but they keep doing unsympathetic things. Both series left me with a feeling of unease, that something's wrong. When I was enjoying myself, I felt like I shouldn't be.This feeling continues until the end of the First Law Trilogy, and I wonder if the Crossing Over Trilogy will have some kind of twist in the third book that will explain and justify this feeling.

This is the first book in a planned series, but I couldn't find anything about the rest of the books. Crossing Over does a good job standing alone. It does seem more on the adult side of YA, with a lot of discussion of sex and disturbing violence. Update - Simon Vance was kind enough to let me know the second book in the Souvline Series, Dark Mist Rising is available now on Audible. Thanks, Simon!

Reading: Simon Vance can do no wrong. He was great reading this book. I especially liked all of the different accents and the different voices for the women.

Final thoughts: In the end, I liked Crossing Over. It's for people who want a little harder-edged YA fantasy, but don't mind long stretches of daily court life and intrigue.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This will be one of my last posts for MX3 from Jenn's Bookshelves and RIP VI from Stainless Steel Droppings. Sad

Audiobook review: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

When I picked up The Shadow of the Wind (2001) by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, all I knew was Stephen King called it "one gorgeous read." Stephen and I will have to agree to disagree.

Genre: Historical gothic romance with magical realism
Length: 18h 10m
Audio publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, 2004
Read by: Jonathan Davis
From: Local library

Story: 10-year-old Daniel is taken by his father to see the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a huge sanctuary of lost and under-read titles. Daniel must choose one book to adopt and make sure it will never disappear. Daniel chooses The Shadow of the Wind. The book ensnares him and sends him on a quest to learn more about the author.

Review: I loved the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. I would have liked to spend the whole story there exploring and getting to know its patrons and employees. Unfortunately, the book quickly leaves the Cemetery to join Daniel as he grows up and peruses lead after lead following the author of The Shadow of the Wind.

The characters in this book are marvelous. The blind literature expert. The book buyer who dresses like Lord Byron. The homeless man who may or may not be a spy. However, with all these characters, several plots  in the present and the past, and every cliche ever invented, the book was too much for me. I just couldn't care as much as Daniel about The Shadow of the Wind, its author, or the 20 or so other people whose lives the book ruined.

I did like how women in this book are assessed by how literate they are, instead of by their wealth or beauty (or in addition to their wealth and beauty).

Reading and production: Jonathan Davis does an excellent job. He speaks fluent Spanish, so puts the correct accents in all the right places. It's hard when a book takes place in a non-English speaking country. Should the reader give everyone Spanish accents? Only some people? I'm of the mind that no one should have an accent unless there's some other reason for it. I found it strange that Daniel's dad had such a heavy accent while Daniel had none.

I was distressed by the music that was overlayed on the reading. This happened several times and was always distracting. The music was loud, jarring, and prevented me from hearing what was being read.

Final thoughts: Although I enjoyed the writing and some of the elements of The Shadow of the Wind, the book as a whole didn't work for me. It was too jam-packed and rambling a story for me to relate.

Grade: 3 out of 5

Other bloggers really enjoyed The Shadow of the Wind.
You've Gotta Read This raves about it.
Outlandish Dreaming highly recommends it.
Literate Housewife enjoyed it as well.

Murder, Monsters and Mayhem is sponsored by Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelves. RIP is run by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.

Audiobook Review: The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters is my ideal book: eerie house, eccentric characters, and strange happenings. It's just creepy.

Genre: Gothic
Length: 15h 54m
Audio publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, 2009
Read by: Simon Vance
From: Local library

Recap: The Ayres family have been living in Hundreds Hall for centuries, but with Mr. Ayres gone, his wife and children are having a hard time keeping the crumbling place together. When Dr. Faraday is called in for a maid hysterical with fright, is it her imagination? Or is it something a little stranger?

Review: I get goosebumps just thinking about The Little Stranger. I want to stop everything listen to it again right now. I am a huge Hitchcock fan, but to me an eerie book is better than an eerie movie. It's more subtle, the characters are better developed and the suspense is longer-lasting.

The story starts a little slow, but I feel this adds to the ambiance. The book is from the point of view of local Dr. Faraday as he meets the inhabitants of Hundreds Hall after World War II. A limited number of characters allow us to experience them as people, each with their strengths and foibles. No one is spared from Dr. Faraday's frank assessments, and the doctor has some foibles himself.

A large dose of historical fiction provides details on the English countryside, Dr. Faraday's work as a country doctor, and the minute of life in Hundreds. These are all shown very naturally. The descriptions of day-to-day worries ground the novel and made it come alive. The book has a lot to say on the social changes in England after the war, both among the classes and for women, and these themes are seamlessly integrated into the story.

On top of this grounded reality are the strange happenings. Mysterious sounds, curious markings, and unexpected shadows seem to plague the hall. Is it the settling of an old house? A nasty prank? Are the inhabitants delusional? I'm sure I missed most of the clues during my first listen. That's why I have to listen  again.

Reading: When I'm looking for a new audio book, whatever Simon Vance has read recently is always an excellent choice. His smooth British accent gives me chills even when the story isn't scary. His skilled readings draw me into any novel and make me want to stay.

Final thoughts: An evocative gothic tale with themes of class distinction, suspicion and paranoia, this complex and subtle book sends slow chills that build to the end.

Grade: 5 out of 5

Companion books and movies: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, Suspicion directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Audio Review: Pirate King by Laurie R. King

Pirate King is the 11th Mary Russell book by Laurie R. King. When I found out there was a new book in this series, I couldn't wait to read it. I was surprised I could get it through my library on Overdrive. I still like Mary Russell, but this wasn't my favorite book of hers.

Genre: Historic mystery adventure
Length: 11h 12m
Audio publisher: Recorded Books, 2011

Recap: Mary and Holmes are caught up in another adventure as Mary infiltrates a silent film company to investigate allegations of illegal activity.

Review: I am a huge Mary Russell fan. She's independent, she speaks seven languages, and she can throw a knife. However, this book does not showcase her many talents. Pirate King is subtitled "a novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes." Unfortunately, there is a lack of suspense, little Holmes, and even Mary is missing for a stretch.

The movie industry is one of my least favorite settings. I've seen these stock characters and standard situations before. I was hoping in  a Mary Russell book some people might buck their stereotypes. Maybe the director could be accommodating or the female lead humble. No such luck. Even Mary falls into standard cliches as she travels and doesn't listen when her translator warns her about cultural differences. Listen to your informants, Mary. You're better than this.

The sections with Holmes were excellent, as always. I would have liked to have more time with him and Mary together. It would be great if they could just be home to see their day to day interactions.

Reading: For me Jenny Sterlin is Mary Russell. Her voice takes some getting used to. It's a bit gravelly, and she makes Mary a little more sarcastic than I picture her, but the reading is so energetic I just get swept away. This story had a couple British pronunciations I liked. Shiek is pronounced "shake" and harem "har-eem." It's always fun to learn a new language.

Final thoughts: For anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes or strong women characters the first Mary Russel book, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, is great. Pirate King might be for people who like early cinema or Mary Russell completests. I'm looking forward to the next book, when Mary goes to Japan in the space between The Game and Locked Rooms.

Grade: 3 out of 5

Audio Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I've been hearing lots of great things about The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern so snapped it up when I saw it on my library's Overdrive. The circus is amazing. The setting has a lot of imagination and originality, but other parts of the story aren't as developed. This may be a better book to read than to listen to.

Genre: Historical fantasy
Length: 13h 39m
Audio publisher: Random House Audio, 2011

Recap: In a world where magic is not believed, two true magicians agree to a duel. They each choose a student to train, and the young prodigies compete by creating elaborate displays at The Night Circus. Only the young illusionists don't know how they are being judged or when the competition will end.

Review: When The Night Circus is describing the circus, it does a fabulous job. Unfortunately, when it comes to characters and plot, the book falls flat. I found audio version of The Night Circus difficult to follow since each chapter jumps around in place and time. After the prologue, the circus doesn't make another appearance for about two hours, and these were two long hours.

The book is written in third person present tense which acts to puts the characters at a distance. The two older magicians are largely unsympathetic and their wards blank slates. For most of the story, I couldn't relate to the people or their situations. The real star of the book is the circus, and its descriptions are a lot of fun. However, I don't feel a setting is enough to carry a book. I want interesting characters and some kind of plot in addition to the dreamscape. This is the kind of book that I didn't really enjoy while I was listening to it, but like it much more now that I'm done and can re-live the fun parts.

Reading: Jim Dale is a rock star among audio readers. I loved his readings of the Harry Potter books and was psyched when I heard he was the reader. Since his voices are so memorable, some phrasings were reminiscent of Potter characters, but this happened infrequently and wasn't too distracting. Dale has a fabulous accent, but I'm still getting use to the British pronunciation of some words. Every time he said "bonfire" I heard "bomb-fire." Since this is fantasy, I thought maybe it was a new word.

Final thoughts: A must-read for fans of fantasy. The circus setting is too wonderful to be missed, but be prepared for confusing time-jumps, unsympathetic characters, and boring stretches when the circus is away.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

I hadn't heard about In the Garden of Iden (1997) by Kage Baker, the first of The Company series, until I saw it on Overdrive. I found it a very original, intelligent book with clever concepts and a lot of period detail.

Audio publisher: Blackstone Audio, 2011
Length: 11h 29m; Grade: 4

A historical science fiction romance, In the Garden of Iden is a book of The Company, a group of scientists who use time travel to recruit children in past eras and develop them into agents. In the Garden of Iden follows one of The Company's agents as she is recruited from the Spanish Inquisition at age four, completes The Company training, and goes on her first field assignment to England during the Protestant Reformation and Bloody Mary's reign.

 In the Garden of Iden is primarily a 16th century romance. The main character is 17 and acts annoyingly young at times, but with themes of free will vs duty, zealotry vs conviction, and slavery vs death, In the Garden of Iden is not a light book. Comparisons to The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis cannot be avoided. Both deal with limited time travel by a select group of people. Both have rules that travelers should remain aloof from locals, and both deal with the complications that arise when they don't. In the Garden of Iden is more grounded in history since agents live through the past in real time instead of jumping back and forth.

I loved the time-travel premise of this series and am looking forward to reading other books that follow different agents through different time periods and provide more details on the shady practices of The Company.

Reading - Janan Raouf puts a lot into what has to be a difficult book to read. It was certainly a difficult book to listen to due to all of the accents. The main character is from Spain and thinks in unaccented English but speaks with a heavy Spanish accent. The other travelers also speak in Spanish accents while the locals use Elizabethan English. Occasionally characters use Latin or Greek. I found these sections easier since they were read as unaccented English.

Nums - The boredom the travelers felt in their down time and lengths they went to sneak their anachronistic magazines and holo-cubes was spot on, taking me back to my Peace Corps days.

Nits - The time travelers cannot change "recorded history," but what does that mean? Do diary entries count?
The reader pronounced the word "pasty" wrong, which happens all the times in audio books, and makes me laugh every time.

A Spy in the House by YS Lee

A Spy in the House (2010) is the first book in The Agency series by YS Lee. I saw this audiobook on the shelf in the local library and loved the cover so had to try it out. I was not disappointed!

Length: 7h 29m; Grade: 5
Audio publisher: Brilliance Audio, 2010

A Spy in the House sets up the premise for The Agency series. After being arrested for stealing, Mary Quinn is saved from the gallows by Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. After graduating, Mary learns the school also serves as a training ground for The Agency, a spy organization of women. Mary's first case has her pose as a lady's companion in the house of a smuggling suspect.

I love Mary. She's smart, daring, and has all-important thief skills. She also has questions about her father. The story is divided between spying for her job and her search for her past. YS Lee has a PhD in Victorian literature and adds interesting historical content. The smell of the Thames, attitudes toward foreigners, and class tensions make the setting nuanced and historically accurate. There are even some long glances across a drawing room floor to heat things up a bit.

Reading - I had listed to Justine Eyre before with Fallen by Lauren Kate, but didn't recognize her because she pulls out a British accent for this book. I can't tell one British accent from another so can't judge if this one is geographically or historically accurate. Eyre's reading is very precise and suitable.

Final thoughts - I'm looking forward to more in the series.

For - anyone who wants intelligent Victorian YA
More - try the Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer, another fabulous Victorian strong-willed female YA sleuth

Nums - I love the cover for the French version of the book and the fact that it has a completely different title, The Jade Pendant.