Spectacle Audiobook
By: Rachel Vincent
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
Published by: Recorded Books 05/30/17
Spectacle Audiobook Sample
Spectacle Audiobook
4.5 Hearts
Where to start with this review?? I guess first, if you haven’t read Menagerie, you need to start with it. This is a series that must be read in order or you will be missing some stuff when you tackle this book. Second, if you haven’t started this series, it is a dark series. There isn’t a lot of laughter or joy in these books. Some pretty horrible things happen to these cryptids (creatures that aren’t human; like werewolves, cat shifters, centaurs, minotaurs, mermaids, sirens, and anything else you can think of). These creatures are treated as poorly as you can imagine.
All of that being said, this is a series that truly love. Menagerie was a top 10 favorite read in 2015, the year it was released. I loved it just as much when I revisited it before starting this series. I loved seeing how these cryptids survived, even under the stress and abuse that they lived in. They stayed strong together and supported each other to the best of their ability.
**There will be spoilers past this point for the first book, but I will not say more than what is revealed in the synopsis of this book.
This story picks up not long after Menagerie has ended. The cryptids are running Metzger’s Menagerie. They are quickly learning that this is more difficult than it looks. They want to purchase friends and relatives from other Menageries, but they just don’t have the funds. How do you make that kind of call? You can’t leave them where they are at, but you’re already starting to ration food. Then they learn that their secret is out. Willem Vandekamp of The Savage Spectacle comes in and has a takeover. They quickly learn that there is more than one kind of abuse.
Again, this story is very dark. You quickly learn to hate the human race with this series (if you’ve read Anne Bishop’s The Others, you know exactly what I’m talking about). Just when you think things can’t get worse, they do. The characters are amazing. There isn’t a single cryptid in this story that I don’t love. The more I read them, the more I want to save them. As for the humans, I still just want to kill them all. I love the story and can’t wait to see where book three takes us. I don’t know if there is a set number of books for this series (though there probably is, Rachel Vincent usually knows how many books will be in a series when she starts it), but I’m hooked now.
Spectacle Audiobook Narration
4.5 Hearts
I love Gabra Zackman. She does an amazing job with this series. She really portrays each of these characters really well. She has no problems changing from voicing a siren to voicing the Far Darrig.
Photo credit: Kim Haynes Photography
Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who’s been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy—but social media is a close second.
I am an actress, writer and voice over artist, frequent traveler and lover of adventure. I’m based in New York where I grew up and built my career. I’m lucky to work regularly in theater, have a parallel and sustaining career in audiobook narration, and I’ve had great success with my first writing contract,the humorous, romantic, spy centered BOD SQUAD series. The title of my current life might be:
“I’ll Tell A Story Any Way They Let Me.”
I got my start in sixth grade, wearing my mother’s tablecloth as a star turn in Oedipus Rex. From there I was hooked. I studied theater at Northwestern and then went to grad school at The Shakespeare Theater’s Academy for Classical Acting. I’ve had the privilege of working all around the country doing new plays and classics, working locally in New York theaters, and doing a handful of TV and film roles.
I have recorded over 300 audiobooks to date in studios all around the country and I love to record books in all genres. Inspired by the books I’ve narrated, I’ve completed the first three books in THE BOD SQUAD SERIES (Pocket Books 2015)- and now all sorts of new doors have opened for me. I’m so excited for all that lies ahead!
I like to thank Recorded Books for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
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Reviewed by:
Melanie Simmons
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