Audiobook Review by Mel
4 Blue Roses
3 Blue Flames
Narrator Kirt Graves packed a walloping punch delivering the fourth and final installment of the Green Creek series. Pack, pack pack!
His usual calm and lower neutral baritone was challenged by hours of dialogues with little to no action. Although he has the capacity to switch from male to female and any age group effortlessly, the constant talking and time-wasting had me pulling my hair out. This was an extremely challenging book to narrate as the author has written it to almost sound like a play.
The predictability of the book does not matter. The intimate storytelling itself stuck like new velcro. The fantastic group dynamics within the pack and the town caused me to intimately know them all. The bantering and almost innocent child-like conversations between the wolves caused me to want to shift and talk wolf myself. Mel tired, Mel hungry you feed me NOW!
High angst and bouts of ridiculous childish humour balanced the high levels of anticipation of something bad is going to happen. While we waited for the shit to hit the fan, we were entertained by wolf dialogues, digesting their sexuality and other group dynamics which in my opinion were masterfully done. I can see why this series is so well-loved. The writer introduces each member of the pack in detail, which is why listeners not only fall in love but also associate with the characters. The approach the writer took to skillfully introduce the various LGBTQIA+ persons and their relationships is a wonderful way to inspire cohesion and mutual understanding not only for the younger audience exclusively but also their significant others.
Look when that demon wolf with one red eye landed on the cabin roof. I fisted the air and thought yes baby we are going to see some action, but unfortunately, they drove off leaving him there, I was like WTF? They went kumbaya-ing making smores around the campfire?
I do recommend this whole series. It preens originality. Personally, I would have liked a bit more sex, but given the chosen audience, I will suck it up or zip it up and enjoy it for what it is.
Happy Listening