Hey everyone! New feature alert!
Since I’ve started listening to audiobooks, I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to incorporate them into the blog. These are going to be almost exclusively rereads, which means most likely reviews have already been posted, but when reviewing an audiobook, there is so much more to take in. The narrators add so much atmosphere to the story, they deserve attention.
Thus, Audio Roundup was born. Each month, I am going to do a post where I go through the audiobooks I’ve listened to and do a review. This will not be a review of the book itself (plot, characters, etc.), but of how the audiobook version has deepened my experience.
In December, I listened to four audiobooks:
Good Omens
Author(s): Neil Gamain and Terry Pratchett
Narrator: Martin Jarvis
Original book review can be found here.
Since this was the first audiobook I had ever listened to, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but honestly it was a delight from start to finish. British is a style all it’s own and Jarvis has that quick, dry, witty delivery that really sold the story. It’s hard to talk about the events leading up to the end of the world as though it is nothing more serious than a grocery list, but Jarvis delivers. I particularly loved all the accents he used for the various characters. My particular favorite was Shadwell – it was such a crusty brogue that was perfect for the captain of the Witchfinder Army. His depictions of Crowley and Aziraphale were also perfect.
Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Narrator: Wil Wheaton
Original book review can be found here.
There was absolutely no way possible that I wasn’t going to love this one. I am such a Wil Wheaton fangirl and have been since his Star Trek days. I rediscovered him several years ago on his Tabletop webseries and have followed him online ever since. I knew he recorded audiobooks, in particular this one, so I knew it had to be my next read. Wheaton is so perfect to give this nerdy, pop culture laden, first person narration – I honestly don’t know how it could have been done better. I also got to hear him refer to himself as an “old geezer” which made me laugh so hard.
13 Little Blue Envelopes
Author: Maureen Johnson
Narrator: Emily Durante
Original book review can be found here.
While I enjoyed this narration, it didn’t wow me as much as the first two did. Nothing against Durante as a narrator, or at least not really. She has a very nice, pleasant voice to listen to. My main complaint is that the main character of this book is 18 year old and Durante usually sounded way too mature. Ginny is something of an old soul, so it didn’t completely take me out of the story, but it didn’t let me immerse myself into it as much as I would have liked. This is me being very picky, mind you! It was still very fun to listen to, but an 18 year old shouldn’t sound like she’s almost my age, no matter how mature she is.
Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Narrator: Kim Mai Guest
Original book review can be found here.
After 13 Little Blue Envelopes, I was a bit leery about listening to another person trying to sound like a teenager, but I shouldn’t have worried. Guest was spot on in this one. She sounded so good as Anna: a little flighty, still a bit naive, still trying to find her place in the world. I really liked her other voices in this as well – the way that Amanda (the mean girl, basically) spoke nearly gave me high school flashbacks! It made for a much deeper experience for me. It felt like real seniors in high school speaking to each other.
Please let me know what you think, since this is a bit of a new post idea for me. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please let me know.
Categories: Audio Roundup
Life With No Plot 
Leave a comment