Book description
Freya Marske's Cinder House reimagines the Cinderella myth through a profoundly queer Gothic lens, delivering a debut novella of exceptional narrative precision. The audiobook format elevates this haunting tale, transforming Ella's spectral existence into an immersive auditory experience. As a ghost bound to her father's house following her murder at sixteen, Ella's voice-rendered with palpable frustration and yearning-masterfully conveys her isolation. She remains invisible to all but her stepfamily, trapped by a relentless midnight return to the staircase of her death, her only solace a precarious bargain: three nights of fleeting corporeal presence with a fairy charm-seller.
The narration's precise modulation of despair and hope constitutes a paramount asset. Listeners discern the subtle shift in Ella's voice when she finally dances, touches, and is seen-a sensory revelation amplified by the audiobook's intimate delivery. Marske's prose, already lauded as "the queen of romantic fantasy," achieves its greatest resonance here; the ghostly constraints feel rigorously defined, not merely poetic. The stepfamily's obliviousness, the charm-seller's wary pragmatism, and the chilling inevitability of midnight's return are rendered with clinical clarity through vocal performance.
Critically, Marske subverts expectations without sacrificing emotional truth. The "ball" is not the focal point; the true magic lies in Ella's negotiation of agency within her spectral prison. The audiobook's pacing ensures each of the three nights feels earned, each moment of connection charged with the weight of impermanence. Listeners will note how the narrator's measured cadence mirrors Ella's internal struggle-her fear of discovery, her hunger for connection, the quiet devastation of returning to invisibility.
This is not a mere retelling but a meticulously constructed Gothic romance where the supernatural serves character. The audiobook's strength resides in its ability to make the invisible palpable: the rustle of a ghost's presence, the echo of a touch that fades, the desperate hope in a whispered plea. For fans of Naomi Novik's intricate worlds or T. Kingfisher's atmospheric tension, Cinder House offers a debut of singular emotional precision. Its brilliance lies in rendering a ghost's longing as both universally resonant and utterly specific-a testament to Marske's command of voice, whether on the page or through the ear. The narrator's voice, a steady anchor in Ella's disorientation, ensures this novella's emotional core remains unshaken. It is, unequivocally, the most compelling reimagining of a classic fairy tale in recent memory.
Mud Eye
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Jetta Talent
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Mental
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RedFisher
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Sw33per
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Zorkle Sporkle
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Mustard Centaur
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Jade Fox
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Sprinkle Lovenuts
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Beetle King
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Acetic Princess
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New York Winder
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CirrusFlash
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Vortex
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Jade Fox
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Prone
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Opulent Gamer
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Tall Sally
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Washer
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High Woo
I'm grateful for ListenBook's seamless compatibility with a variety of formats β it's a true lifesaver. This app is a game-changer for audiobook lovers! The interface is clean and easy to use.
Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience