Worth the wait

I do love the way that Jodi Taylor writes, I really enjoyed the first in this series and waited eagerly for this one. I was not disappointed, the characters I loved are still around and an additional one is added to the mix. Parts of this book are a bit over the top in weirdness, but all in all it was a riveting story and very nicely written and narrated.

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17 people found this helpful

Inconsistencies in voice for Series (20-something character now sounds 80 in the second book)

I make a point of listening to the Jodi Taylor books on audible. I feel like something went wrong at audible when they chose Julie Teal for this book.

The first book clearly states that the main character is in her 20s - and the voice by Kate Scarfe ‘worked’ beautifully with the character.

Even if Ms Scarfe was unavailable, they should have chosen a similar ‘voice’ to give like to Jodi Taylor’s book.
Instead I kept picturing a ‘Judi Dench’ type of character when listening (not a clever young woman).

I hope Audible steps up to fix this error, especially if this is a continuing series.

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13 people found this helpful

younger voice narrator needed

the book was amazing as expected, yet I listened to book 1 and 2 back to back and was disappointed with the narrators voice in the 2nd book ... just couldn't get past thinking Cage was an old lady not a young woman ... somewhat spoiling the feel of the book

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1 person found this helpful

Funny, Bizarre, Original!

I've now listened to both White Silence and Dark Light and am mystified as to Jodi Taylor's intentions. Parts of the writing is really funny, but I'm not sure if the plots are meant to be taken at least partially seriously or not. Anyway, as Dark Light finishes with nearly as much unresolved as White Silence, I will definitely be back for more, but have a wish list for the next and future books in the series:

- Change the Narrator - much has been written about this in other reviews and everyone is right. Elizabeth Cage is meant, however unbelievably - to be in her 20s, Can only assume that Audible didn't pick this up, which is hardly surprising as she behaves like a 1950s housewife. Thought Julie Teal did everyone else's voices well though and it's hardly her fault that she's miscast for the main character, come on Audible!

- As a development of the first point, it would be a relief if Elizabeth's energy levels and basic awareness of 21st Century Life increased a bit. A 3 mile walk should not be either wearing her out or creating a desire for cocoa.She's so late middle aged that you have to wonder if the age attributed her in the White Silence was an error, but it it what it is and it stretched credulity, The plot does enough of that, so the characters need to be realistic. Perhaps if she takes up some form of exercise?

- Plot holes - too many - especially around the frequent disappearances of Michael Jones for weeks or even months on end. Especially as no one ever seems to stray outside a 10 mile radius of Rushford. Also, it would be really really handy if Jones and Cage started communicating by phone more regularly. Or even occasionally.

- Love the Jones and Cage relationship; is premarital sex completely out of the question? Even a snog would be a relief.

- Could someone official please close down the Sorrenson Clinic for general unbelievability. I know things are dodgy in the UK at the moment but I don't think any of our government departments are quite so unregulated. On the other hand, I suppose Dominic Cummings could be brought in as a new character for Book 3.

Other than that.... I could handle the troll, which was infinitely preferable to the whole haunted chair incident. Loved Iblis, could I have one?

All in all, this series is different, and that's a good thing. Anything which makes me laugh in these plague ridden times is doing well. Just, change the narrator, at least for Elizabeth's voice.

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Loved it

Very different from the first book in the series and once I got used to the idea I really enjoyed it. Narration very good

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discovering the various forces and powers that Elizabeth Cage has, and the friends she makes a long the way.

I dislike Saroson, but as villains go he is very good, every story has to have a villain, so while I dislike him his presence is a sensual.

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The wrong narrator for the story.

This story follows on from the first but takes a turn away from the first in the series, and focuses instead on a different kind of evil and wickedness. There is still a bit of seeing dead people, but this is more witches, and demons, folklore, a lost sword, and even a troll. I found the story a bit clumsily paced veering from slow to fast and back again quite randomly. The supernatural elements of Elizabeth are well blended into a believable and relatable character but some of the other fantastical elements were less credible. The question marks in the story are often reflected on by the main character so clearly the confusion and murkiness is deliberate and the unanswered questions I assume will be addressed in the next book in the series.
It is a shame the narrator was changed for this book. Her voice is older and her characterisation different from the first in the series and sadly she wasn't as good. Not bad but not as good.
This is still a good and engaging book which I listened to in one day. I will now go on to read the next.

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2 people found this helpful

Very different narrator from book 1

Still an excellent reader but gave a very different feeling to the character. Think I preferred book 1 but this is still very catchy and makes you want to listen!

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2 people found this helpful

Love the story

I am enjoying this series, unusual and interesting, a nice break from what I usually listen to. It is a shame however that they couldn’t use the same narrator as the first narrator suited the character so much better. This narrator is of course very good on most books but on here sounds like a plummy grandma telling a story to a child and not a 20/30 something young woman. A lot of the modern phrases, wording and quick humour that I enjoyed from the first book was lost in the reading of this second book.

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1 person found this helpful

A story full of the unexpected

loved it. I thought, as I read chapter one, this was a traditional motif, but then it made a sudden, unexpected and riveting turn. From that moment on I was hooked.

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1 person found this helpful