Audiobook reviews from Audiobook-Heaven
Title: The Prophet of Yonwood
Series: Books of Ember, book 3
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Narrator: Becky Ann Baker
Publisher: Listening Library
Duration: 6 hours, 22 minutes
Copyright: 2006
Genres: science fiction, adventure, juvenile
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Kearney Public Library.
THE GIST: While feeding the birds in her back yard one day, Althea Tower ofYonwood, North Carolina has a vision. In her vision, Althea sees fire, devastation, and death. Immediately following her episode, Althea collapses and falls into a stupor. For the next several weeks all she can do is mutter and mumble as the vision replays itself over and over again in her mind. The town busybody, Brenda Beeson, takes charge of Althea’s care and is soon convinced that Althea’s mutterings are messages from God and must be followed to the letter in order to avoid the apocalypse Althea saw in her vision. The rest of the town is convinced as well when, a week after Althea's vision, the President begins to talk of deteriorating relations between the United States and the Phalanx nations, and warns of the possibility of war.
Eleven-year-old Nikki, and her aunt Crystal, are new in town. Nikki's great-grandfather, a long-time resident of Yonwood, has recently passed away and it is their job to put his affairs in order. Nikki’s father is working on a top-secret project for the government, andcan only communicate with Nikki through short postcards. Nikki has set herself three goals for the summer: 1) save her great-grandfathers house. She loves the rambling old house from first sight and decides she wants to live there with her parents. 2) Fall in love. Now that she’s eleven, she thinks it is time. 3) Do something to help the world.
It is that third goal that occupies Nikki’s imagination during her summer in Yonwood. She knows the world is in danger, it's all over the news. She can see the fear and tension building in the people around her as they try to interpret their prophets confusing instructions. Nikki tries her best to do the right thing, but some of the prophet’s instructions and warnings make her feel bad, like when the prophet says there should be no singing in town, and especially when she says all the dogs in town have to go.
It is a crucial point in the life of one little girl, just as it is a crucial time for the whole world. The president has given the phalanx nations one week to fall in line, and time is running out.
MY THOUGHTS: “The Prophet of Yonwood” is the third book of Ember, although it is only loosely related to the first two audio books of the series. In the first two audio books, Jeanne DuPrau tells the story of a secret underground colony created to survive the approaching Armageddon. In “The Prophet of Yonwood", DuPrau takes us back to a time before the armageddon has occurred. It was easy enough to guess that Nikki's father was one of the Builders, and toward the end of the book that is confirmed.
Overall, I would have to say “The Prophet of Yonwood” is my favorite audio book in the series so far. Jeanne DuPrau’s writing seemed to take on a more mature tone in this audio book, although that may be the result of new narrator, Becky Ann Baker.
NARRATOR: I liked Becky Ann Baker’s narration of “The Prophet of Yonwood” very much. As I mentioned earlier, this audio book felt more mature than the first two of the Ember series. That is, at least in part, the result of Baker’s reading which sounds much more natural than Wendy Dillon's cartoon voices. “The Prophet of Yonwood” takes place in North Carolina, and Becky Ann Baker uses convincing southern accents for the characters.
FINAL WORD: “The Prophet of Yonwood" is the best of the Ember audio books so far in my opinion. Since this audio book is set outside the continuity of the series, you could read “The Prophet of Yonwood” by itself without feeling like you missed something.
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (Audiobook Review)
The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau (Audiobook Review)
The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau (Audiobook Review)
The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau (Audiobook Review)
If you liked this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get "The Prophet of Yonwood" by Jeanne DuPrau; Audiobook CD, from Amazon.com.
This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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Wow, this sounded kinda good.
ReplyDeleteI love those apocalyptic tales.
I wonder if Adam got to read this one. He really liked the Ember series. :)