- Title:
- Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues
- Author:
- Molly Harper
- Release:
- June 6, 2019
- Format:
- Audiobook
- Narrator:
- Amanda Ronconi
- Jonathan Davis
- Series:
- Mystic Bayou # 2.5
This story doesn’t do it for me. First, it feels like it’s building up to something, then falls flat. Overall, the world, and its implications are interesting. But I haven’t spent enough time with the world or characters to grow attached. It feels as if it ends the moment it starts to go somewhere. Additionally, I’m fucking SICK of this forced third-act conflict that goes nowhere, lasts all of 5 minutes, and then life goes on as if nothing happened. It seems to be present in every romance story I listen to and saying it’s been done to death is a gross understatement.
The narration didn’t help either. I got sick of the female narrator mispronouncing Government constantly. She kept saying “gover-ment”, which I found insufferable annoying. Her overall narration tone is this lifeless, monotone voice. She does tolerable character voices, but her male voices are lacking. Though I will say her bad male voices blow the male narrator’s atrocious female voices out of the water.
Overall, he had a good narration and character voice. His chosen voice for the female lead, I can’t even begin to describe it. It was this manly, alien-sounding voice with a mix of some non-native English speaking accent I can’t place. It was something truly awful.
One issue I couldn’t get over was the vastly different voices of the characters. The male character would do his Indian alien-doctor voice for the female lead, then it would switch back to the female narration and it was jarring how different she sounded. Why don’t they alternate reading the lines for the characters? I’ve heard it done well before and it makes a world of difference. I have a newfound respect for the Ardor Creek narrator duo Ayla Asher uses. Good god, I can’t believe this is the alternative.
The final nail in the coffin of this unforgivably mediocre narration is that it’s an Audible production. Who in the holy hell listened to this dumpster fire and signed off on it? With a company like Amazon/Audible backing it, with the level of presentation it receives on Audible, I’d expect some level of professionalism.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.