The Mudlark

Birds of Erishum Trilogy

By: Gwen DeMarco

Narrated by: Janine Granda

Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

In the bustling Kingdom of Erishum, where the city walls protect the denizens from the Dying Wilds, lives Nyssa, one of the kingdom’s many mudlarks. Each day, she ekes out a meager living by scavenging the muddy banks of the River Assur.

When she unearths a mysterious but valuable object that could buy her a ticket out of the slums and fulfill her dream of a baking apprenticeship, she accidentally sets on a path of unseen threats, deceit, and political intrigue.

Through lively marketplaces and clandestine dealings – all the while evading the menacing Enumerii priests and the king’s shrikes – Nyssa’s survival instincts as a gutter rat are put to the test. Could this object put everyone she cares about in danger?

Against the backdrop of an opulent festival and familiar city streets, Nyssa is pulled into a world of danger, betrayal, and sacrifice. Soon, Nyssa must make a choice: save her future or save an old friend.

The Mudlark is a captivating tale of courage, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of dreams against all odds. It’s a whirlwind ride, coursing through the riveting life of an intrepid young heroine who challenges her fate with every rising sun.

©2023 Gwen DeMarco (P)2024 Gwen DeMarco

Great story

Very interesting story about survival and strength. I read this one very quickly. Definitely held my attention.

👍

I really enjoyed this book, the story was engaging. It was well written, well narrated.

Standard beginning but it could one

It's a standard beginning but it's a good one where we have the main character wanting to better themselves but getting caught up in something that they have no power but to try and survive

Nyssa

Nyssa dreams of becoming a baker but in order she has to find funds to be sponsored so she finds things to sell to the museum. Well the item she finds ends up getting her in more trouble then she could ever think of which changes her life when she tries to save her friend.

Engaging Fantasy

This was my first experience with Gwen DeMarco's work, and I enjoyed the story. Nyssa dreamed of becoming a baker, but she needed to purchase an apprenticeship first. Nyssa scavenged through the mud along the river looking for treasures to sell to make the money she needed. I liked the character of Nyssa as she was determined to achieve her dream. There were some unexpected twists. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Janine Granda's narration was great, and her performance added to the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

Good beginning to a series!

Good start to a series! There was a ton of world building, to the point that I *may* have forgotten what the book was meant to be about by the time we actually got around to the point of the story. However, the world that was created was gorgeous, and the story is beautifully written, and so I’m ok with the extensive background.

English Lore gone Sci-Fi/Fantasy

This book ended up being a superb listen. As a historian it made me want to know more about the authors background since they knew of the mudlark tradition but also made me glad to see someone writing to highlight their importance. The character development initially left a bit to be desired, but as the book neared it's end I realized that it was positioned perfectly to lead to a new book from a different perspective. Definitely recommend and hope that it stays this fresh.