By
Read By
Amanda Carlin, Justine Eyre
Length
11 hrs and 50 mins
Overall
Performance
Good Story Not Supported By Performance.
Excellent, Unforgettable, Best of the nest
Very good, thoroughly enjoyed,
Good, Solid, Enjoyed many aspects
STAR RATINGS GUIDE
THE BIRDICT
💛 A fantastic (and fantastical) supernatural tale fuelled by betrayal, deceit and regret.
💚 McMahon is so good at making me invest in characters. That, coupled with twists and turns, makes for a phenomenal read.
💜 I have one quibble. I don’t like Olive. I know I should forgive her because she’s young and has been through so much, but I cannot.
SQUAWKING THE TALK
🎧 Some strange choices really detract from the audiobook version. For starters, the main narrator, Amanda Carlin, speaks with very distracting intonations. I think they were going for a sort of breathy, bohemian feel, but it doesn’t work. It has a strangled quality. It’s a shame Carlin didn’t stick to her natural voice, which is smoother.
🎧 Without giving away plot, one voice Carlin nails is the scary one. Freaked me out good and proper.
🎧 Another oddity was the later addition of a second voice, Justine Eyre reading another character, Ann Whitcomb Gray. I say strange because Carlin reads as various characters. In fact, this is the only exception and was a bit jarring, even though Eyre was very good.
🎧 A big plus point goes to the chapter listings, which are comprehensive and easy to navigate.
SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO...
Usually I try to offer similar stories or styles, but this time, I’m warning against comparison. If you’re like me or the majority of other readers who’ve reviewed this book, this is the second McMahon book you’ve read. My advice? Don’t go into this expecting The Winter People. No, it’s not quite as brilliant, but it is very very good. A bit Salem Witch Trials, a bit Sleepy Hollow.
