Author: Robin Wasserman
Narrated By: Emily Janice Card
Published by: Listening Library, Unabridged 12 Discs, 14.5 Hours
ISBN: 978-0307968029
Genre: Audiobook, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Reading Level / Interest Level: Ages 14 and up
Author Profile:
“I grew up in suburban Philadelphia. I went to college, where I met a lot of amazing people and majored in the history of science. I edited children’s books. This is why I now know more about DragonBall Z, Pokémon, Scooby-Doo, and BIONICLE than anyone over the age of ten should know. It’s also why I know everything there is to know about the NBA, circa 2002. If you happen to have a copy of the NBA All-Star Slam-Dunk Sticker Book, you’ve got me to thank for it.
I moved to LA. This was a dumb decision. Everyone I know told me that I was not an LA kind of person. I knew I was not an LA kind of person. I moved there anyway. Guess what? Turns out I’m not an LA kind of person. I did, however, learn how to drive on highways. I only went to the beach seven times, which was also kind of dumb. LA is now my favorite city to visit, but I’m glad I don’t live there anymore. I missed New York. I missed the bagels and the pizza and the subway and the people and the noise and the restaurants and the Village and the feeling you get when you step out of the subway in Times Square, like you’re at the center of everything.” From – http://www.robinwasserman.com/bio.html
Narrator Profile:
“Emily Janice Card is an actor, singer, and writer from North Carolina, where she appeared in leading roles in stage productions such as The Fantasticks, The Importance of Being Earnest, Bye Bye Birdie, and Once Upon a Mattress. Since moving to Los Angeles, Card adapted and starred in the play A Sepulcher of Songs, based on a short story by her father, Orson Scott Card.” From – http://www.randomhouse.com/audio/catalog/author.php?authorid=96387
Reader's Annotation:
Walking in to find her best friend murdered and her boyfriend missing, high school senior Nora Kane must travel across the world in order to find her friend’s murderer. What she is not expecting is to become tangled in a religious conspiracy where she may be the key to everything.
Plot Summary:
While working on a project translating letters from sixteenth-century Prague, high school senior Nora Kane stumbles across her best friend, Chris, murdered, his girlfriend Adriane catatonic and her boyfriend, Max, not only missing but the prime suspect. In an effort to prove his innocence, Nora travels to Prague, where Max purportedly fled in order to get answers of his own. What Nora was not expecting was to become entangled in a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators driven by the frantic desire to locate a mysterious ancient device, that may not even exist, purported to allow direct communication with God. The letters Nora had been translating just may hold the key to someone’s salvation. As Nora races across continents, she will come face to face with a new enemy that wants only her and she will discover secrets she hoped she would never have to uncover.
Critical Evaluation:
This is an instance where listening to the audiobook truly creates an entirely different reading experience. Emily Janice Card’s narration added such depth to the story that it was easy to feel lost not only in New England Academia but also in the shadowy streets of Prague. Additionally, the changing inflection of her voice for each character was impressive and befitting of their individual and distinct personalities. Nora, who is an intelligent student with an affinity for Latin and sarcasm was spot on and Card’s narration had just the right amount of righteous indignation and desperation that if Nora were a real person you would believe that is exactly how she would speak. Her friend Adriane, known for being secretly smart but a bit flighty as well as self-centered and selfish is given a breathy, cannot be bothered tone that is befitting of Wasserman’s characterization. Max and his quiet baritone that can be both dangerous and hiding a smirk, is given just the right amount of edge and sensitivity that you are not sure whether to love him or loathe him. All of this as well as Card’s deft reading of the passages in Latin, Czech, and Italian added much to the atmosphere of the story because these other languages were able to add a haunted tone that could be too easily glossed over in the printed text.
The enjoyment that comes from listening to the audiobook is do large in part to the original story that Wasserman created. The plot is creative and while it has been compared to The DaVinici Code it has just enough originality to set it apart from this comparison making it its own. Additionally, while the story may initially be a bit slow going, once it picks up it is fast paced proving that Wasserman knows how to maintain an edge of mystery and intrigue until the very end and that all of the anticipation only added to the heightened tension of the story. The plot also allowed Wasserman to explore some truly extraordinary settings. While the story takes place in both New England and in Prague, she takes special care in creating an ominous and dangerous environment for both. Much of the slower moments in the story take place in New England, however, it seems appropriate as Nora’s battle is much different at home compared to the one she faces when she goes overseas. Having lost her brother and living with apathetic parents, Nora’s home life relays a quiet sadness and the dangers that come from tragedy. While the university becomes a sort of sanctuary for Nora, it too becomes dangerous as she begins falling for Max and unraveling the mysteries behind Elizabeth’s letters. The scenes in Prague are truly atmospheric. While listening, it was hard not to think you were there as Card describes Wasserman’s shadowy secrets hidden in the city as well as the exquisite, yet menacing, buildings that have survived history.
Curriculum Ties:
- Eastern European history / Prague, Czech Republic
- Foreign language studies
- Religious history
Challenges / Issues:
- Religious themes
- Some sexual situations
- Violence
Defense of Challenges / Issues:
- Have a clear understanding of the library’s selection policy as well as copies available in order to identify specific points of the policy to challengers in order to strengthen defense.
- Express the library’s dedication to intellectual freedom and open access as outlined in the ALA Library Bill of Rights. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
- Know the material being challenged in order to show that you understand the content and how the challenged material works in context with the rest of the text.
- Have access to both supportive and critical reviews from reliable sources, such as School Library Journal or VOYA. Provide challenger’s with these reviews through either hard copies or by including reviews in the catalog records of library materials.
- Have the ability to explain the rationale behind the inclusion of materials in the library’s collection by discussing an item’s literary merits, intended audience, and offering a brief summary.
- One of the most important lines of defense is to be an active listener and to stay calm. Pay attention to the patron’s concerns, do not interrupt, and do not take his/her challenge personally. Additionally, even if you do not agree with the challenge, still speak to the patron with understanding and compassion. Make sure to respectfully outline the library’s selection policies as well as the principles outlined in the Library Bill of Rights. If the patron is still adamant about the removal of the text, offer a “Request for Reconsideration” form, outlining the patron’s concerns that can be presented to senior library staff.
Book Talk Ideas:
- Discuss how the death of Nora’s brother has affected her life and relationships. Does this change after Chris’s death? Does this change after she goes to Prague? Why or why not.
- Talk about why Nora feels so drawn to Elizabeth and her letters.
- Discuss this book in relation to themes about life, death and faith.
Why This Book?
This is actually a situation where I would recommend the audiobook over the physical book, or at least a side-by-side reading. Not only is the audiobook flawlessly narrated, but also serves as a great help when navigating the passages in Latin, Czech, and Italian, providing a fluid pronunciation that could be quickly overlooked in the print version. Likened to The DaVinci Code, this compelling listen provides an interesting lesson in religious and Eastern European histories as well as a fast-paced mystery.