These audiobooks about revenge illuminate the lengths people will go to correct the injustices they’ve endured. The narrators give raw, emotional performances that draw teen listeners in.
Safiyya Ingar deftly narrates FOR SHE IS WRATH, a Pakistani-inspired fantasy retelling of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. Dania, a skilled swordswoman, takes every opportunity to escape prison. But after nearly a year of failed attempts and with the help of her fellow inmate, Noor, she finally gets out. Ingar channels Dania’s relentless fury, emotionally committing to the text and commanding listeners' attention to Dania's journey for revenge. Noor, softly voiced with a youthful tone that belies her intelligence, blends the dangerous, magical seeds produced by djinn to disguise Dania’s appearance and help her infiltrate the emperor’s palace. Ingar heightens the tension between Dania and Mazin, the boy she still has lingering feelings for despite his betrayal, with precise pacing.
Co-author and narrator Lexi Underwood voices high schooler Jordyn, a Black girl eager for a new start after transferring from private to public school in LOUDER THAN WORDS. But her new school’s anonymous podcast, famous for spreading rumors, has already hinted at Jordyn’s past, including the truth about her expulsion. Plenty of students want revenge against the podcaster who’s humiliated them and even placed their futures in jeopardy, but art-loving Jordyn and her friends devise a plan to oust him through the power of protest art. Underwood’s depictions of a large cast of characters authentically convey a kaleidoscope of emotions including embarrassment, righteous fury, and burgeoning romance. Mark Turetsky voices the podcaster with a vocal effect that disguises his real voice by warbling the sound slightly. Mela Lee and Turetsky narrate short segments of chat room conversations between students as they react to the podcast.
In her Earphones Award-winning performance, Jen Zhao’s range of emotional portrayals in the silkpunk fantasy, OF JADE AND DRAGONS, keeps listeners engaged to the thrilling end. Ying has no interest in the life prescribed to women—she wants to be an engineer like her father. After he is murdered in front of her, she’s left with a jade pendant dropped by the assassin and the coveted journal full of engineering secrets her father penned. She must disguise herself as her brother and infiltrate the engineering guild trials if she hopes to find the killer and avenge her father. Zhao captivates listeners by narrating segments of mechanical detail with genuine fascination. She smoothly voices Mandarin words and utilizes a leisurely pace, allowing listeners to savor the complex, Chinese-inspired worldbuilding.
Actress Nicola Coughlan narrates QUEEN B, a short origin story to the author’s popular HMRC series. The audiobook’s chapters shift from Lady Grace Fairfax’s arrival to court in 1526 to Queen Anne Boleyn’s tragic death ten years later. The coven of witches has lost their beloved leader, but to Grace, Anne was also her secret lover, and she wants revenge on the witch that betrayed them all. Coughlan shifts easily between Irish and British accents and different genders, creating distinct voices for each character. Her commanding performance centers Grace’s outrage, and her softer delivery during romantic scenes resonates with warmth.
A fantastic ensemble of narrators launch HEIR, the first of a duology set 20 years after the events of Sabaa Tahir’s Ember in the Ashes series. Rachel Petladwala voices Sirsha with rigid intensity, perfectly capturing the exiled wanderer tracking down a child killer. Esme Lonsdale voices Aiz’s gentle and tragic emotions as they harden into rage, fueling her quest to escape prison, free the trapped spirit of Mother Div, and get revenge against the man who murdered her fellow orphans. Vidish Athavale’s performance for prince Quil is commanding and emotionally rich, echoing his reluctance to inherit the throne stained by his father while facing an invasion of the Empire. Joe Pitts and Marco Young voice two supporting characters in short chapters. Each narrator fully immerses themselves into their complex characters, elevating this audiobook told in alternating perspective chapters.
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