Review: The Radium Girls

Fascinating. Horrifying. What do you know about radium and the Radium Girls?

Radium is a huge part of our history. It was a magical new element around the turn of the century. It was the one thing many sought, but few could hold. Yet when we look back with the knowledge we have today, it's a terrifying part of the past.

When I saw The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women at the library, it looked fascinating. I didn't know much about the radium era, and wanted to learn more about it. Author Kate Moore has written a wonderful book on the lives of the radium women. She drew her information from published and previously unpublished sources. Moore's fascination began with a theatre play and ended with a book that gives readers a glimpse into the lives of women who changed history, litigation, and science. Job well done! I would recommend this book to everyone! I couldn't wait to take a drive in my car so I could continue hearing about The Radium Girls.

Angela Brazil narrated The Radium Girls. This is the first time I've heard Brazil read an audiobook. Brazil has a strong, firm voice. Other listeners thought her voice sounded harsh, but I heard determination of telling a haunting story. I think a gentler voice could have made this story too sad to hear. I would listen to Brazil again, but she is not a narrator I would seek out.

Additional information about Radium Girls:
The Spectator newspaper article
Radium Girls on Wikipedia
The Radium Girls on Audible (with review)

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
Read by Angela Brazil
Produced by HighBridge, a Division of Recorded Books
Number of Discs: 13
Total Time: 15 hours, 51 minutes
Release Date: May 2017
ISBN: 9781681684215

Review: A Frozen Heart

Disney's Frozen is one of the top animated films right now. There have been numerous books and audiobooks about the story. A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick is another one you can add to the list of available books. Rudnick's rendition of Frozen is a chapter book for older elementary readers. She focuses on the characters of Anna and Hans. She created backstory for the characters and offers their perspective of the events that the movie shares with the audience.

A Frozen Heart was a fine story. I played the audiobook hoping for a twisted tale of Frozen. I was disappointed. It was Frozen. I wanted to stop the book and start a different one, but I was all ready committed. I listened to all 6 CDs. If you're a Frozen fan, by all means find a copy and give a listen! If you're looking for something completely different on this new classic, you could pass.

Narrator Andrew Eiden did a fine job sharing the story between two characters. He was not dynamic with voices, but he gave the characters different nuances. I previously heard him narrate another Frozen tale: Journey to the Lights. I would listen to him again.



Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick
Read by Andrew Eiden
Produced by Disney / Blackstone Audio
Number of Discs: 6
Total Time: 7 Hours, 32 minutes
Release Date: September 2016
ISBN: 9781504751049