Here-and-faraway

I know this book never would have never held my attention had I read it myself. The two narrators really brought it to life for me. Elegance of a Hedgehog is an engaging and often-times humorous story about misfits finding one another and trying to make not only sense of, but peace with the world that they live in. There are a few flaws (some of the characters' philosophical musings are bone dry), but overall the story really held my interest.

Very very good

The Last Nude, another book by Ellis Avery. Like The Last Nude, Avery abandons her narrator in a strange land and lets the narrator see her new world through foreign eyes. What I really enjoy about both works is the strong sense of time and place AND the complex characters. No one is entirely good or entirely evil. Instead, Avery creates a world with flawed, but not unsympathetic people.

Yukako. That said, Caruso is one of those gifted narrators who makes each character have a distinct voice. I knew who was speaking without being told.

Nothing. The title fits the book perfectly.

Although not perfect, this is a very, very good story about an extremely interesting time in Japanese history - when the west invaded Japan. I've read and seen many stories about this time written by Japanese authors through a Japanese character's eyes. It was an interesting twist to see this moment in history described through a foreigner's eyes. Like other reviewers have pointed out, the narrator is a bit frustrating because she does little. Rather, she observes and analyzes what others do around her. Also, the story does droop in places. That said, the narrator makes very astute observations and the people she is around are very interesting. Whenever the story started to sag, it quickly reeled me back in. Aside from the strong sense of time and place, I really appreciate how well Avery (the author) understands human nature. Nothing in the story is cliche. Her characters are living, breathing, flawed individuals who do, not do what is expected of them, but rather what they want to do. Because of that, the story has some very surprising twists. The narrator did not end up where I expected her to be.Although the book felt VERY complete, I like how unanswered fragments are left behind, which is very much like real life.

I loved both its characters and the way the writer explores how and what is remembered.

I could loosely compare it to A.S. Byatt's Possession or Tennysons' "In Memoriam" (where the story got its title from.) Like Possession, we see biographers trying to unravel the mystery of what a famous poet was really like and who he was romantically involved with. Unlike Possession, the story isn't centered on "who dun' it" (although there are some surprising twists at the end), but rather who is remembered, how they are remembered, and who is forgotten. It's very poignant to see who and what is lost.

The ending left me with chills. I also listened to the first part of the story over and over again because it is so well crafted.

I adored Daphne, but would probably take Cecil out to dinner just to see what kind of mischief he would get himself into.

This is a beautifully written book. The author really knows his craft. The pace is set on slow burn. The book isn't about exposing one shocking revelation after another, but rather about how things are revealed and chosen to be remembered. You know that feeling when you finish a story and wish there was more? When you can't start anything else because what you just read was so good? When the story's over, but it still hangs like a veil over your daily life? That's where I am right now, after completing The Stranger's Child. It's definitely something I will listen to again.

I read the book over a decade ago and had forgotten how good it was. I'm a working mom and usually the only chance I get to listen to books is when I'm doing other things (cooking, watching my son at soccer practice, etc.). This book was very easy to listen to while I was doing other things. I don't mean that as an insult. It was so well written that I could glide between it and other things with ease. It was a pleasure to listen to.

The lyrical prose and soft narration.

No, I haven't. I enjoyed his performance. I agree that he does get a little "Bela Lugosi" at times, but I think it's pretty darn challenging to get an American accent with a native born French twist in it. As an American, his American accent was very poor, but forgivable, since it was rarely used in the story. I can't say what he did was perfect, but it was VERY VERY good.

This book didn't make me laugh or cry, but it definitely reignited my interest in Anne Rice. Like other critics have pointed out, the dialogue does tend to get bloated with philosophical ruminations, but the writing is so soft and lyrical, that the shortcomings are easily forgiven. I will definitely get the other books in the series with Simon Vance as the narrator.

When a book really grabs me, I love to look up its publishing history. I couldn't believe that this title was originally released in 1976. I somehow had it filed away in my brain as a 90s novel. This book is well over 25 years old and does not feel dated. The author definitely deserves credit for its timelessness.

A fun twist

The Troll Queen - everybody loves a good villain and boy she was one. Her narrator was also fantastic.

About five characters narrate the story and each has its own voice actor. The cast was very good.

How far would you go to right a wrong? How far would you go, for love?

I loved the "original" story of East of the Sun, West of the Moon when I was a little girl. Although the author kept the spirit and skeleton of the story, she gave the tale her own unique spin. I'm an adult and I rarely read books written for teenagers, but this one held my interest. The author did a great job giving each character their own voice and personality. It was enjoyable seeing the story from different points of view. I was a bit surprised by some of the choices the writer made, but it's fun to read a book that isn't predictable. I would recommend this title to fans of the original and to people who love stories with a fairy tale feel.

The narrator did an excellent job. The story started out a bit slow for me, but once it got rolling, it held my interest. Generally I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I enjoyed this novel. It has a strong sense of time and place and interesting and likeable characters.

I liked Brother Edmund's complex and secretive nature.

She's a first rate narrator. She really helped pull me into the story.

There were so many places where I thought the author was going to go down a predictable path and I was happy to be proven wrong. There are a lot of fun and surprising twists.

While I wouldn't say the story had a cliff-hanger ending, it didn't feel complete. I'm guessing there is a sequel in the works. I tend to avoid series unless I know they are already completed. I AM looking forward to the next novel, but I don't know when and if it will be released.

My five year old would recommend this to his friends. He loves listening to it in the car.

My son loves hearing the names of all of the ducks. That's his favorite part.

If your child likes the original book then he/she will more than likely enjoy listening to this in the car. The narrator, sound quality, and production are solid.

Maybe in a few years because of its poetic writing and strong narration.

The narration hooked and held me in. The story's protagonist, Rafaela, is a complex and sympathetic character. While I wanted the best for her, she enters into what looks like doomed romance. I kept listening to find out what would happen to her. Would she find true love or end up with a broken heart?

The story itself, while very good, is not excellent. The villains are a little too campy for my taste. Rafaela (the protagonist) and the audiobook narrators do an excellent job holding the story together. Ellis Avery (the author) has a gift for descriptive writing.

The narration is what sucked me in. Brilliantly done.

I wouldn't quite call the book a

I like a lot about this book: the vivid characters, the strong narration, and enchanted settings. Jo Walton does a fantastic job creating a captivating world that's filled with characters who seem alive. She deftly builds up the plot, but the book's climax felt rushed and flat - like the author didn't know how to end it.

Among Others was an easy listen and I looked forward to hearing it everyday. I'm not a science fiction fan, but even though there are multiple references to scifi titles it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. I'm guessing fans of the science fiction genre would appreciate the extra layer, but the book is enjoyable enough if you aren't.

This was an easy to listen to story with an engaging plot. The narrator does a solid job and the story kept me guessing and had a nice twist at the end.