Audiobook Review: The Red Necklace

   In April I came down with a sinus and ear infection. I've never had the latter, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. The combination of the two rendered me useless, and all I could do was lay on the couch with my eyes closed. Even my fall back, television, was useless.

So came up with the idea to listen to an audiobook. I don't often use audiobooks as I find, unless the words are directly in front of me,  my mind wanders in a thousand different directions. When you literally have nothing else to do, however, they come in quite handy.

I found an audiobook for The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner and read by Tom Hiddleston. I'd never heard of the book or its author before, but what drew me was my like for the charming British actor who would be reading said book to me, and well, there was no way I wasn't taking advantage of that.

The Red Necklace combines historical events from the French revolution and gypsy magic. It's the first book in a series (the second book published in 2009, two years after the first, so I don't know if the author is planning any other books), and young adult. I highlight these two things because the book was slightly shallow and ended rather abruptly in my opinion, and I can only hope the second will flesh out the characters.

Overall, the story was enjoyable and characters entertaining. It took me about halfway through the audiobook to really get caught up in the story, and I feel like some of the character growth was more of a leap rather than a gradual journey. This isn't a story I would rush out and get for my own personal library, but if you want a light story with magic, adventure, and young love interwoven with accurate historical events, then I think you'll have fun with this book... especially if you listen to the audiobook.

Tom Hiddleston is known for being talented with accents and impressions, and he doesn't disappoint. Each character has his or her own unique voice. I sometimes cringe when audiobook readers try to create voices — I have this problem where I feel intensely awkward for someone else. When Hiddleston began the story and voices, I began to feel that "oh no" flush on my cheeks, but then I realized he was doing an amazing job. His narration contributed greatly to the entertainment.

3/5 stars
4.5/5 stars for the audiobook