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The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Catalogue Link: 
Catalogue Link
Reviewer's Name : 
Krista H.

As a fan of audiobooks, I find I often tend to listen to children’s or teen’s titles as a rule. Having recently finished Gilda Joyce : the Ghost Sonata by Jennifer Allison,  read by Jessica Almasy, I picked up The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken, read by Nigel Lambert. Originally published as a novel in 1962, this unabridged BBC audio production runs 4 hours and 53 minutes.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is the first book in Aiken’s Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. Set in a fictional England of the 1800s, the books premise is that wolves have migrated from Europe to Britain through the Channel Tunnel, tormenting all who come into contact with them.
This particular book revolves around the lives of two girls: Bonnie, the wealthy young girl living with her parents on an estate in the country, and Sylvia, her impoverished cousin, living with elderly Aunt Jane in London. When Bonnie’s parents must travel abroad for her mother to recover from an illness, Bonnie’s father brings his distant cousin, Miss Slighcarp, to Willoughby Chase to run the estate in his absence and be governess to his daughter. At the same time, Sylvia, Bonnie’s cousin, is to move to the estate to begin a new life with the family.
Once the parents have embarked on their voyage, the true plans of Miss Slighcarp are revealed. With her accomplice, Mr Grimshaw, (who Sylvia has unknowingly traveled with to the estate on the train from London!) they proceed to take over the estate, banishing the servants, burning Sir Willoughby’s papers, and treating the girls very harshly. They have also “arranged” to have the boat Bonnie’s parents are on to sink, so they are permanently out of the way. When the girls discover a secret passage and overhear the plans of Miss Slighcarp and Mr Grimshaw, they are sent  to an orphanage run by Mrs Brisket, who turns out to be another player in the plan.
I don’t want to give away the story here, so you’ll have to listen to find out what happens! What happens to the girls? Do they escape the orphanage? Are Bonnie’s parents killed when the boat sinks or do they survive? What happens to Willoughby Chase? Do Miss Slighcarp and Mr Grimshaw succeed with their evil plan?
The story is well read by Nigel Lambert, who provides a wide range of voices distinctive for each character. Recommended for listeners of historical fantasy fiction. I would also suggest listening to Eva Ibbotson’s The Star of Kazan, read by Patricia Connolly and Shannon Hale’s The Goose Girl read by Cynthia Bishop and a full cast.

Igraine the Brave

Title: 
Igraine the Brave
Author: 
Cornelia Funke
Year published: 
2007
Catalogue Link: 
Catalogue Link
Reviewer's Name : 
Krista H

If you love fantasy and adventure stories filled with magic, castles, knights, and strong, smart girls, then Igraine the Brave is for you.  Written by children’s author Cornelia Funke, of Dragon Rider and Inkheart fame, this unabridged Listening Library audio production runs just shy of 4 1/2 hours.

Igraine is the daughter of two magicians, Melisande and Sir Lamorak the Wily, and lives in Pimpernel Castle with her parents and her older brother Albert. Unlike her brother, though, she longs not to follow in her parents footsteps, but to become a famous knight.

Just before Igraine’s 12th birthday, they hear that their closest neighbour, the Baroness of Darkrock, has suddenly gone away and her evil nephew Osmund, has taken over her estate.  His real plan, though, is to conquer Pimpernel Castle and steal the singing magic books which have been entrusted for hundreds of years to Igraine’s family.

Unfortunately, Igraine’s parents turn themselves into pigs as they are preparing her special birthday present , a shiny suit of armour.  Of course, the one ingredient they need for the antidote, giant’s hair,  has all been used up! Luckily there is one  giant who lives not too far away, so Igraine is sent on a journey to find him

Once Igraine has the giant’s hair, he insists that The Sorrowful Knight of the Mount of Tears escort her back to her parent’s castle. He is called that because  he lost his honour  when  an evil knight, known as  The Spiky Knight, defeated him and  stole three maidens The Sorrowful Knight was guarding.

As they near Pimpernel however, Igraine and the knight see that Osmund and his men, including the Spiky Knight, are encamped outside the moat, trying to capture the castle. With Albert the only one able to perform magic, the castle has defended itself well. However, once the potion to turn Igraine’s parents back into magicians is ready, any and all magic must stop for one hour.  That means Pimpernel cannot be defended.

What happens to the castle? Are Igraine’s parents doomed to spend the rest of their lives as pigs? Are Igraine, Albert, and The Sorrowful Knight able to defeat Osmund or does he capture the magic books? What happens when The Sorrowful Knight challenges The Spiky Knight?  Will we ever find out what has happened to the Baroness and the three maidens?

Filled with adventure, fantasy, magic and humour , Igraine the Brave is a great listen.  Xanthe Elbrick, an award-winning actor, does a fabulous job with all of the various voices in this production, keeping it exciting and very entertaining. Recommended.