Book description
The Whispering Mountain by Joan Aiken: A Howling Good Time
Let's get one thing straight: if you're looking for a bedtime story about fluffy bunnies and rainbows, this isn't it. Joan Aiken's "The Whispering Mountain" is the literary equivalent of handing a toddler a kazoo instead of a rattle - beautifully crafted, slightly alarming, and guaranteed to make some noise.
Our hero Owen gets shipped off to the charmingly named town of Pennygaff (population: apparently everyone with a dark secret) where he immediately stumbles into what can only be described as the most elaborate harp-related kidnapping scheme in British children's literature. Because nothing says "family adventure" like a prophetic golden instrument and a villain so delightfully evil, he's literally called Lord Mayln. Yes, with an 'n' at the end. Subtlety was clearly not Aiken's strong suit.
The plot barrels along with all the grace of a runaway train, dragging Owen and his sidekick Arabis through underground labyrinths populated by creatures that sound like they escaped from a Victorian fever dream. It's like "The Chronicles of Narnia" got drunk and stumbled into a Gothic novel. There's murder, kidnapping, and savage beasts - though knowing this is children's literature, the beasts are probably just misunderstood and the murder is definitely off-screen.
Aiken, bless her, comes from a family tree that apparently grew both poetry and plot twists. With credentials including a Pulitzer-prize winning father and enough literary awards to wallpaper a modest study, she brings a certain gravitas to the whole enterprise of scaring children while simultaneously winning them over. The Guardian Prize for Fiction winner here proves that children's books can be both terrifying and award-worthy.
The real magic lies in how Aiken treats her young readers like actual humans with functioning brains, not delicate porcelain dolls who might shatter at the mention of actual stakes. This audiobook deserves a narrator with the theatrical flair to deliver Lord Mayln's diabolical schemes without breaking into nervous laughter at the sheer audacity of it all.
Perfect for children who enjoy their adventures with a side of existential dread and parents who appreciate irony in their offspring's entertainment choices.
Pepper
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Dez North
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Prez Dog
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Jade Fox
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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