THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA

Daniel Henning is a great narrator for this quirky and theatrical audiobook. When Linus is assigned to observe an orphanage for magical children, all kinds of developments ensue. Henning revels in a cornucopia of characters, diving into nuanced voices and colorful moments with accents and growls, tone shifts and whispers. The contemporary touches keep the story humorously timely, and Henning’s delivery is welcoming or satirical when necessary. Some characters are so well developed through Henning’s vocal stylings that they inspire laugh-out-loud moments. Other characters are too predictable in prose and performance to add much to the production. This is definitely a title for those who enjoy fantasy stories replete with gnomes and witches and all in between. L.B.F. 2021 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2020]