THE MERMAID’S CHILD by Jo Baker – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

THE MERMAID’S CHILD

Author: Jo Baker

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged – MP3 CD

Narrator: Nicola Barber

Length: 8 hours, 46 minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Historical

Release Date: March 25, 2015

Publisher: Dreamscape Media

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free MP3-CD copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review through AudiobookJukebox

From the very first few minutes of this audiobook I was enthralled. Narrator Nicola Barber has an amazing voice. She conveys a sense of wonder in every sentence and draws the listener into the story with such ease that you are instantly hooked. Whether the character is a young girl, an imperious teacher, an ill-tempered barkeep or a professional sailor the voice is nothing short of perfection.

The story itself flows seamlessly from day to day, year to year and minute to minute. Malin is a character that you cannot help but empathize with. This book is a re-release. It was originally published in 2004. The fact that this book was author Jo Baker’s debut novel is AMAZING. She is a talented author and I also immensely enjoyed her book LONGBOURN which was published in 2013.

Malin has always been different. Her father was a ferryman and he tells her that her mother is a mermaid who left to return to her own people.

When Malin’s father dies she is left in the care of her grandmother. The grandmother sends her off to work and live in the local pub. Malin is treated like an unloved and unwanted slave.

But everything changes when a mysterious stranger arrives at the pub and Malin makes a decision that will change her life forever.

This tale is strange but wonderful. It is full of interesting characters and Malin’s adventures are richly imagined.

Though much of this book is “dark” there is something inside Malin that does not allow her to give up. This book is a tribute to the inner spirit of a determined young woman. It is so vividly described that readers will not be able to stop listening to the story.

I highly recommend this book to all adults. It definitely contains many adult themes and scenes and is not appropriate for younger readers/listeners.

I rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Photo obtained from http://www.jobakerwriter.com

Jo Baker was educated at Oxford and now lives in Belfast. She runs the Belfast Literary Festival. For more information visit http://www.jobakerwriter.com

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

Nicola Barber has appeared on stage in New York and across the country. She can be seen in the movie “The Nanny Diaries” with Scarlet Johansson. She has been performing voiceovers since 2001. For more information visit http://www.nicolabarber.com