An excellent story very well told

Caveat: I read the book when it was released a few months ago. So my experience listening to it may or may not be influenced by having previously read the story.

Thorn is a beautiful story. Burke's use of language is rich and layered. Rather than being a re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast story, Thorn is a re-imagining. Yes, yes, there are undoubtedly similar elements and plot lines, but Burke takes us beyond the fairy tale. Definitely beyond the Disneyfied version of the fairy tale. It's a book/story well worth your time.

The audio version of Thorn is quite good! Burke's use of language and the textures she folds into her storytelling make for a compelling audio experience. Annette Romano had great material to work with. And she worked well with the material she was given.

I particularly enjoyed the slight brogue she used to tell the Huntress's part of the story. It lent a depth and rawness to her character that was fitting.

The narration was clear and appropriate for the different characters in the book - whether main or secondary. There were a few moments when I wanted just a bit more from the performance - a bit more emotion, a bit more variation. But those moments were nicely countered at other times when I could hear the nuance of a deep sigh or a shuddering gasp. Overall, it was a nice balance.

Now, this is just a personal thing. I had to turn up the narration speed to 1.25 for it to sound natural to my ears. FOR ME, the performance sometimes felt a bit too purposeful or deliberate. Almost over-articulating. But, again, that's ME. I'm used to fast speech - both my own and others'. But putting the narration speed at 1.25 worked to give the flow of the narration a more natural sound.

In general, this is a highly worthy audiobook! I very highly recommend it.

9 people found this helpful

Not to be missed

I wish I could write a review as amazing and well written as this book deserves alas I am not Anna Burke whose descriptive imagery and character development transported me into this story and I did not want to leave nor did I want the story to end. There was self discovery, empowerment, loss, love, sacrifice, redemption, action, and so much more. This was my first time listening to Annette Romano narrate, she did a fantastic job and I loved the brogue she used for The Huntress. I will without hesitation listen to her again. This is a book and audiobook not to be missed!

6 people found this helpful

Winter is a beastly woman

A retelling of the classic Beauty and The Beast with a lovely wlw twist brought low by a very monotonous performance that left me falling asleep more so than entertained me. Had this book been performed by someone with better inflection, dictation and emotion than this would’ve been an amazing story.

As such, it’s okay if not mildly boring.

5 people found this helpful

A good story but....

Too repetitive. Too many chapters with more or less the exact same words. A story that could have been told in two hours went on for several. The narrator sounded like she was reading an encyclopedia. Stilted and somewhat annoying but perhaps not all her fault as she basically repeated the same words time and again. I did struggle to finish this book and skipped chapters. In this book if you heard one chapter you heard them all.

4 people found this helpful

I like it

I really love how Anna Burke has reimagined Beauty and the Beast. I was not expecting it to have to twists that it did but I was not disappointed at all. I am looking forward to anymore audiobooks that Anna Burke has.

3 people found this helpful

Wonderfully Told

A lovely story that left me wishing there was another book. the F/F romance was wonderful and felt natural, warmed my heart

2 people found this helpful

I can't stand this narrator but the book is lovely

I really want to enjoy this book but the narrator is making it so difficult. She emphasize way too many words. It is overwrought. She does a disservice to the beautifully written book with its evocative language. It is like she's trying to make it exciting for a child and trying too hard. She's infusing too much melodrama into a each moment of the book. There any never any levels - like she's tryng to be William Shatner and not quite succeeding. I usually go through a few Audible books a week and I have never considered stopping a book because of the narrator before.

1 person found this helpful

A wonderful wlw folktale

A departure from the type of books I usually read. Full of mysticism and sweeping storyline. Well written and well performed.

It felt rushed

At first I thought I accidentally started playing a court of thorns and roses. The intro is very similar. The author introduced characters and then gave no further explanation about those characters even though they seem to play paper roll rolls and I almost thought I had skipped A chapter and I had to go back but no I think the author had to get the chapter and also there were some editing issues. But it was easy to listen to at work.

Wow!

I don’t know how I didn’t know about this book but I really enjoyed the fair tale. What a nice twist on an classic. Just very well written and descriptive audio. Beautifully written.