Reviews &Testimonials
How The Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior. Blackstone
Octogenarian Veronica is living an isolated life in Scotland with her kind housekeeper, Eileen, her sole companion. After watching a television program about penguins, Veronica impulsively decides to travel to a research facility in Antarctica. With shifts in inflection and more than a hint of exasperation in her tone, narrator Helen Lloyd superbly creates a vibrant portrayal of Veronica, who never refrains from sharing her strong opinions. Veronica also learns that she has a grandson, Patrick, whose existence she was previously unaware of. Andrew Fallaize expertly captures the evolving maturation of the 20- something young man, who greatly benefits from getting to know his grandmother. Interwoven blog entries from a research scientist, voiced by Mandy Williams, keep this whimsical and poignant audiobook grounded.
Short Stories Volume 1 by H G Wells. Read by Tim Bruce, Liam Gerrard, James Gillies, Helen Lloyd, Nigel Patterson, Greg Wagland Malk Williams. Raconteurs Audio with Spoken Realms
This audiobook is a pleasure to listen to. An ensemble of English narrators escorts the listener into the marvelous imaginings of Wells. Among the many auditory delights, James Gillies's nuanced performance of "The Magic Shop," Greg Wagland's almost incantatory treatment of "The Door in the Wall," and Nigel Patterson's heart-stopping yet subtle rendition of the science fiction gem "The Star" excel. This audiobook collects a fine blend of Wells as fantasist ("The Man Who Could Work Miracles"), satirist ("Mrs. Winchelsea's Heart"), and futurist ("The Land Ironclads"). The narrators capture his fine ear for language and eye for detail throughout this collection of short fiction written from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries.
Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2020]
'The Shadow Of Death by Nicola Upson. Blackstone
This is number eight in Nicola Upson's crime series, and narrator Helen Lloyd perfectly brings its setting and personalities into sharp focus. In the early part of the twentieth century, Josephine Tey was a popular crime writer. In Upson's series Josephine actually investigates crimes. Here, she is called to the horticultural school Moira House to help clarify the details of a death she witnessed 25 years before. Georgina Hartford-Wroe and Harriet Barker ran the school, and Dorothy, one of the students, accused the women of an "unnatural" relationship. Shortly after, Dorothy was found dead. Lloyd's tone can be coldly calculating or add depth and warmth where required. She sounds proper and persistent as Josephine uncovers myriad secrets in this labyrinthine, splendidly constructed plot.
© AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2020]
'But My Brain Had Other Ideas - A memoir of recovery from Brain Injury' by Deb Brandon. Findaway
Narrator Helen Lloyd's voice often sounds remarkably calm as she narrates Deb Brandon's recollections of medical emergencies and sensory overloads. That calm accentuates the moments of sheer panic that Brandon experienced in her recovery from brain hemorrhages and multiple surgeries. Brandon, a Carnegie Mellon University math professor, shares the frustrations of relearning simple tasks and getting back into her life. She shows both the process of recovery and the horror of her periodic mental shutdowns, sometimes in a stream-of-consciousness style. Lloyd captures both elements adeptly, bringing listeners into Brandon's mind and recovery. The result is an intense listening experience. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2019]
'The Orphan of Salt Winds' by Elizabeth Brooks. Brilliance Audio
'From the opening lines of this audiobook, listeners are transported to Salt Winds, a crumbling, secluded house on the edge of a marsh in England. The location becomes a character as narrator Helen Lloyd weaves the past and present of Virginia Wrathmell. The story begins in 2015, when elderly Virginia believes she has received a sign that tells her to take her own life in the marsh. The story flashes back to 1939, when the recently adopted 10-year-old first arrived at Salt Winds. From there, Lloyd takes listeners back and forth as the tragedies and mysteries surrounding Salt Winds unfold. Lloyd brings Brooks's descriptive writing to life. She makes certain the story's atmosphere is palpable as Virginia attempts to untangle her history and right past wrongs.' © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2019]
'Meet Me At The Museum' by Anne Youngson. PRH UK / MacMillan Audio US
'In this lovely audiobook an English farm wife, fascinated by the Tollund Man, an iron age Dane found uncannily preserved in a peat bog, begins a correspondence with a curator at the museum in Jutland that houses the remains. Helen Lloyd's Tina is warm, thoughtful, and seeking. The curator, Anders, who has been fairly recently widowed, is writing to her in his second language, so Lars Knudsen's Danish accent conveys the differences and distance between them, even as they come to trust and rely on each other through shared language as they acknowledge joys and face hard truths about their own lives. Meanwhile, they speculate about death, mourning, ritual, sacrifice, and how life happens to people, from Tollund Man to themselves, to deeply satisfying effect.' © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2018]
'Life in the Garden by Penelope Lively. Penguin Random House
I have no idea what Penelope Lively sounds like, but as far as I'm concerned Helen Lloyd channels the 84-year-old, esteemed author perfectly. Her mellow educated tone is just right for the Booker Prize-winning author's newest book which combines with gardening commentary. Lively has gardened since she was growing up in Egypt, and though she's now limited to a small London yard, she has formed opinions on everything horticultural: style, order, control, the admirable willfulness of plants, and why we keep planting our little plot. It's all here, as well as her thoughts on the gardens of the literary and the famous, including Virginia Woolf's inexplicable love of "nasty yellow bulbous spotty" calceolaria. These are audio essays for gardening enthusiasts to savor. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2018]
'Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Goose' by Stephanie Laurens. Blackstone Audio
Helen Lloyd, British actor and narrator, simply enchants with her delivery of this charming story. Therese, Lady Osbaldestone, a grand dame of the British ton, has retired to the quiet village of Little Moseley. Lloyd's portrayal of Lady O. is perfect, capturing her spine of steel and very soft heart. Her portrayals of the children, the young lords, and those working "below stairs" are also spot-on. This is a true Christmas gift. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]
'An Affair With A Notorious Heiress' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
Narrator Helen Lloyd's tantalizingly breathy voice expertly showcases "Tilly" and just as effectively assumes a stronger volume and aristocratic accent for Rexton in this romantic story about learning to trust and risking all for love. Lloyd's portrayals of Gina, the younger sister, who is not as frivolous as she appears, and Rexton's younger brother, who is not as gregarious as he appears, are spot-on.
© AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2017]
The Viscount and the Vixen' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
'Helen Lloyd's skilful and charming narration does much to carry the listener through a problematic plot. Portia Gadstone answers an advert, expecting to marry the mad, old Marquess of Marsden, but his son, Locke, intervenes--leaving her no choice but to accept him in place of his father. There's a crackling sexual tension between Portia and Locke, which Lloyd seems to relish giving voice to. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2017]
The Earl Takes All' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
Narrator Helen Lloyd delivers a pleasing performance of a historical romance with some difficult plot elements. The second installment of the Hellions of Havisham series can stand alone, though followers of the series may be more invested in the characters. In this story, the deception of a man posing as his dead twin makes for plenty of tension, and redemption often seems uncertain. Lloyd delivers the right balance of emotion and poshness for these upper-crust characters. If listeners can suspend disbelief at some of the plot twists and go along for the ride, they'll enjoy Lorraine Heath's latest outing. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2016]
'The Duke and The Lady in Red' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
'Helen Lloyd uses a smoky, steamy voice as she narrates this final installment of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James' series. Listeners are treated to the sultry tale of the seduction of the Duke of Avendale by the mysterious Lady in Red. Lloyd softens her tone as Rosalind and Avendale trade barbs, lies, and secrets throughout this sensual romance'. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2015]
Author Reviews
Helen Lloyd did a fabulous job narrating my memoir 'But My Brain Had Other Ideas.' Not only was her voice and intonation perfect, but she really captured the essence of who i am. She hit all the nuances of my inner self, fear, humour, grief, just right. As I listened to the final product, I felt as if I was listening to (a better version of) myself telling my story. I can’t be prouder of this audiobook. Thanks so much, Helen. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude.
DEB BRANDON - Author 'But My Brain Had Other Ideas - a memoir of recovery from brain injury'.
Helen Lloyd narrated my novel 'Owl Song At Dawn'. A challenging task since it includes an array of voices of various different accents and ages, including characters with different learning disabilities. I braced myself to listen to the recording, but as soon as I heard Helen's narration I knew that she was the perfect reader for my work. She captured the tone of the main character, Maeve, uncannily well, sounding just like the voice I'd heard in my head. Hearing all of my characters animated through Helen's sensitive and insightful reading was one of the highlights of my publishing experience. I can't recommend her highly enough.'
EMMA CLAIRE SWEENEY - Author ‘Owl Song At Dawn’.
'Not only does Helen have a hauntingly beautiful voice, rich and velvety, but her pacing and expression are perfect. Her reading of 'The Lodger' brought my book to life and magically captured its atmosphere.'
LOUISA TREGER - Author 'The Lodger'
I was very fortunate to have Helen Lloyd read my book 'Spero' for Audible. Helen has a marvellous voice, rich and expressive and it conveyed the essence of my story.
URSULA WESTMACOTT - Author. 'Spero'
‘The Bosnians come alive for me in a way I wasn’t fully able to imagine on the page. I am impressed by your fluency in shifting from one voice to the next, alternating with the narrator’s. It seems to be a very complex interweaving which makes your skills all the more evident, and admirable.’
ALEXANDRA MARSHALL 'Adopting Sarajevo'
'Helen Lloyd brings to life my characters in 'A Patient Fury' and perfectly captures the evocative Derbyshire setting. Her nuanced narration was a delight to listen to.'
SARAH WARD - Author 'A Patient Fury'
Listener Reviews
'Life In The Garden' The voice actor is amongst the best I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. Nary a Latin name mispronounced and kindly and accessible throughout.
'Meet Me At The Museum' - 'First, I will reveal that I am neither sentimental nor entirely taken with most fiction. So I was not entirely thrilled to read this book when the title appeared on a friend's book club invititation. I decided to "read" it on Audible while doing some painting, just to fill up the quiet.
I was at first struck by the warmth of Lloyd's voice as compared to the perfunctory stoicism of Knudsen's. If I had not continued I might have jumped to the conclusion that his narration was not quite on par with hers; but I would have been wrong. The voices of the narrators, I came to believe, were perfectly chosen for these characters and lent an authenticity to the story that would have been missed had I simply read the book. Please understand that I love books and reading and by no means wish to indicate otherwise. I was simply struck by the superb vocal acting abilities of the pair.
The story, on the surface, was ordinary enough. An unlikely pair sharing stories about their everyday lives. No great intrigues, no build up of anticipation to make you keep reading. What compelled me to continue was the depth of understanding of the author of the cost of intimacy...the effort it takes to share of oneself and, therefore, be vulnerable to another. The characters' tales are somewhat common and, at times, even predictable. However, their willingness to share and learn from both their own and the other's experiences creates a sense of vibrancy and growth.
Youngson has imbued her characters with logic, optimism, hopefulness and so much more. The result leaving me feeling connected to and invested in this pair (and to my own feelings stirred by their words). So what, you might say, but I often feel alienated by so many modern characters whose flaws are over emphased so as to make them seem more human or by classic characters reduced to characatures or products of their time in order to serve the authors use of them. The characters in this book feel genuine, unique and relatable.
I have tried, to this point, not to give anything away but I would be remiss if I didn't point out that my favorite part is that we do not know what happens in the end. Even as I took pleasure in the development of the relationship between the two I was constantly dreading a tidy ending in which the they realize that they have fallen in love and now must be together at any cost. To my surprise and delight, this was not the ending I got.
From my perspective, the best part of the story was that the characters were unavailable for any kind of romantic entanglement, one mired in grief, the other committed to her marriage. The depth of their honesty and commitment to one another was made stronger by the fact that they could have been any one, from any time (like the Tollund Man himself) sacrificing themselves for the benefit of the other. I was relieved that Tina did not run to Anders in the end, as it would have been entirely out of character. This might lead one to believe that the character was jilted in the end but this was not the case. As she did throughout the book, Youngson ended the book with hope and possibility and the eternal search for new raspberries. I recommend that you read this book and perhaps discover a few of your own'.
'The Duke and the Lady in Red' --This was the first book in a long time where I didn't speed up the narration ever!' The story was great but the narrator's made the story telling even better. This was no light-weight regency love story. I couldn't stop listening. I have these really great water proof blue tooth buds so the only time I wasn't listening I was either sleeping or doing something else I found annoying because it interfered with my listening'.
'Money Farm' - 'Really Great Narration - Brits and Aussies and Germans and more. Lovely voice to listen to and she even captured the rather robotic nature of the cult-like members of the Money Farm.'
'The Earl Takes All' - 'Helen is one of my favorite narrators! She nailed the narration for Edward and Julia--making them come alive. I love her pacing and emotions. I highly recommend listening to this one.
'About Last Night' 'Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! It made me laugh out loud when I listened in the car, I even woke up at night and listened a bit more!
Producer's Comments
'Helen Lloyd is one of White House Sound's favourite narrators. With her rich tone, intimate storytelling and strong characterisation, Helen brings our books to life. Her sense of timing, ability to deliver and sustain accents and crystal clear delivery enriches the experience even further.
CHRIS PERKS - White House Sound.
Helen Lloyd's narration is remarkable. The strength and warmth of her voice easily lifts stories from the page and into the listener's ears. Her story telling is captivating; she is able to find the softest moments in a novel while turning on a dime to humor or anger. She is equally talented with nonfiction titles and presents the work confidently from the author's perspective. She is always an obvious choice for complex titles that require a range both broad and distinct. Lloyd is intelligent, professional, and always prompt. A delight to work with and asset to my roster.
JACKIE ROSENFELD - Casting Director 'BeeAudio Ltd.
Octogenarian Veronica is living an isolated life in Scotland with her kind housekeeper, Eileen, her sole companion. After watching a television program about penguins, Veronica impulsively decides to travel to a research facility in Antarctica. With shifts in inflection and more than a hint of exasperation in her tone, narrator Helen Lloyd superbly creates a vibrant portrayal of Veronica, who never refrains from sharing her strong opinions. Veronica also learns that she has a grandson, Patrick, whose existence she was previously unaware of. Andrew Fallaize expertly captures the evolving maturation of the 20- something young man, who greatly benefits from getting to know his grandmother. Interwoven blog entries from a research scientist, voiced by Mandy Williams, keep this whimsical and poignant audiobook grounded.
Short Stories Volume 1 by H G Wells. Read by Tim Bruce, Liam Gerrard, James Gillies, Helen Lloyd, Nigel Patterson, Greg Wagland Malk Williams. Raconteurs Audio with Spoken Realms
This audiobook is a pleasure to listen to. An ensemble of English narrators escorts the listener into the marvelous imaginings of Wells. Among the many auditory delights, James Gillies's nuanced performance of "The Magic Shop," Greg Wagland's almost incantatory treatment of "The Door in the Wall," and Nigel Patterson's heart-stopping yet subtle rendition of the science fiction gem "The Star" excel. This audiobook collects a fine blend of Wells as fantasist ("The Man Who Could Work Miracles"), satirist ("Mrs. Winchelsea's Heart"), and futurist ("The Land Ironclads"). The narrators capture his fine ear for language and eye for detail throughout this collection of short fiction written from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries.
Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2020]
'The Shadow Of Death by Nicola Upson. Blackstone
This is number eight in Nicola Upson's crime series, and narrator Helen Lloyd perfectly brings its setting and personalities into sharp focus. In the early part of the twentieth century, Josephine Tey was a popular crime writer. In Upson's series Josephine actually investigates crimes. Here, she is called to the horticultural school Moira House to help clarify the details of a death she witnessed 25 years before. Georgina Hartford-Wroe and Harriet Barker ran the school, and Dorothy, one of the students, accused the women of an "unnatural" relationship. Shortly after, Dorothy was found dead. Lloyd's tone can be coldly calculating or add depth and warmth where required. She sounds proper and persistent as Josephine uncovers myriad secrets in this labyrinthine, splendidly constructed plot.
© AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2020]
'But My Brain Had Other Ideas - A memoir of recovery from Brain Injury' by Deb Brandon. Findaway
Narrator Helen Lloyd's voice often sounds remarkably calm as she narrates Deb Brandon's recollections of medical emergencies and sensory overloads. That calm accentuates the moments of sheer panic that Brandon experienced in her recovery from brain hemorrhages and multiple surgeries. Brandon, a Carnegie Mellon University math professor, shares the frustrations of relearning simple tasks and getting back into her life. She shows both the process of recovery and the horror of her periodic mental shutdowns, sometimes in a stream-of-consciousness style. Lloyd captures both elements adeptly, bringing listeners into Brandon's mind and recovery. The result is an intense listening experience. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2019]
'The Orphan of Salt Winds' by Elizabeth Brooks. Brilliance Audio
'From the opening lines of this audiobook, listeners are transported to Salt Winds, a crumbling, secluded house on the edge of a marsh in England. The location becomes a character as narrator Helen Lloyd weaves the past and present of Virginia Wrathmell. The story begins in 2015, when elderly Virginia believes she has received a sign that tells her to take her own life in the marsh. The story flashes back to 1939, when the recently adopted 10-year-old first arrived at Salt Winds. From there, Lloyd takes listeners back and forth as the tragedies and mysteries surrounding Salt Winds unfold. Lloyd brings Brooks's descriptive writing to life. She makes certain the story's atmosphere is palpable as Virginia attempts to untangle her history and right past wrongs.' © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2019]
'Meet Me At The Museum' by Anne Youngson. PRH UK / MacMillan Audio US
'In this lovely audiobook an English farm wife, fascinated by the Tollund Man, an iron age Dane found uncannily preserved in a peat bog, begins a correspondence with a curator at the museum in Jutland that houses the remains. Helen Lloyd's Tina is warm, thoughtful, and seeking. The curator, Anders, who has been fairly recently widowed, is writing to her in his second language, so Lars Knudsen's Danish accent conveys the differences and distance between them, even as they come to trust and rely on each other through shared language as they acknowledge joys and face hard truths about their own lives. Meanwhile, they speculate about death, mourning, ritual, sacrifice, and how life happens to people, from Tollund Man to themselves, to deeply satisfying effect.' © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2018]
'Life in the Garden by Penelope Lively. Penguin Random House
I have no idea what Penelope Lively sounds like, but as far as I'm concerned Helen Lloyd channels the 84-year-old, esteemed author perfectly. Her mellow educated tone is just right for the Booker Prize-winning author's newest book which combines with gardening commentary. Lively has gardened since she was growing up in Egypt, and though she's now limited to a small London yard, she has formed opinions on everything horticultural: style, order, control, the admirable willfulness of plants, and why we keep planting our little plot. It's all here, as well as her thoughts on the gardens of the literary and the famous, including Virginia Woolf's inexplicable love of "nasty yellow bulbous spotty" calceolaria. These are audio essays for gardening enthusiasts to savor. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2018]
'Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Goose' by Stephanie Laurens. Blackstone Audio
Helen Lloyd, British actor and narrator, simply enchants with her delivery of this charming story. Therese, Lady Osbaldestone, a grand dame of the British ton, has retired to the quiet village of Little Moseley. Lloyd's portrayal of Lady O. is perfect, capturing her spine of steel and very soft heart. Her portrayals of the children, the young lords, and those working "below stairs" are also spot-on. This is a true Christmas gift. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]
'An Affair With A Notorious Heiress' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
Narrator Helen Lloyd's tantalizingly breathy voice expertly showcases "Tilly" and just as effectively assumes a stronger volume and aristocratic accent for Rexton in this romantic story about learning to trust and risking all for love. Lloyd's portrayals of Gina, the younger sister, who is not as frivolous as she appears, and Rexton's younger brother, who is not as gregarious as he appears, are spot-on.
© AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2017]
The Viscount and the Vixen' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
'Helen Lloyd's skilful and charming narration does much to carry the listener through a problematic plot. Portia Gadstone answers an advert, expecting to marry the mad, old Marquess of Marsden, but his son, Locke, intervenes--leaving her no choice but to accept him in place of his father. There's a crackling sexual tension between Portia and Locke, which Lloyd seems to relish giving voice to. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2017]
The Earl Takes All' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
Narrator Helen Lloyd delivers a pleasing performance of a historical romance with some difficult plot elements. The second installment of the Hellions of Havisham series can stand alone, though followers of the series may be more invested in the characters. In this story, the deception of a man posing as his dead twin makes for plenty of tension, and redemption often seems uncertain. Lloyd delivers the right balance of emotion and poshness for these upper-crust characters. If listeners can suspend disbelief at some of the plot twists and go along for the ride, they'll enjoy Lorraine Heath's latest outing. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2016]
'The Duke and The Lady in Red' by Lorraine Heath. Harper Audio
'Helen Lloyd uses a smoky, steamy voice as she narrates this final installment of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James' series. Listeners are treated to the sultry tale of the seduction of the Duke of Avendale by the mysterious Lady in Red. Lloyd softens her tone as Rosalind and Avendale trade barbs, lies, and secrets throughout this sensual romance'. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2015]
Author Reviews
Helen Lloyd did a fabulous job narrating my memoir 'But My Brain Had Other Ideas.' Not only was her voice and intonation perfect, but she really captured the essence of who i am. She hit all the nuances of my inner self, fear, humour, grief, just right. As I listened to the final product, I felt as if I was listening to (a better version of) myself telling my story. I can’t be prouder of this audiobook. Thanks so much, Helen. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude.
DEB BRANDON - Author 'But My Brain Had Other Ideas - a memoir of recovery from brain injury'.
Helen Lloyd narrated my novel 'Owl Song At Dawn'. A challenging task since it includes an array of voices of various different accents and ages, including characters with different learning disabilities. I braced myself to listen to the recording, but as soon as I heard Helen's narration I knew that she was the perfect reader for my work. She captured the tone of the main character, Maeve, uncannily well, sounding just like the voice I'd heard in my head. Hearing all of my characters animated through Helen's sensitive and insightful reading was one of the highlights of my publishing experience. I can't recommend her highly enough.'
EMMA CLAIRE SWEENEY - Author ‘Owl Song At Dawn’.
'Not only does Helen have a hauntingly beautiful voice, rich and velvety, but her pacing and expression are perfect. Her reading of 'The Lodger' brought my book to life and magically captured its atmosphere.'
LOUISA TREGER - Author 'The Lodger'
I was very fortunate to have Helen Lloyd read my book 'Spero' for Audible. Helen has a marvellous voice, rich and expressive and it conveyed the essence of my story.
URSULA WESTMACOTT - Author. 'Spero'
‘The Bosnians come alive for me in a way I wasn’t fully able to imagine on the page. I am impressed by your fluency in shifting from one voice to the next, alternating with the narrator’s. It seems to be a very complex interweaving which makes your skills all the more evident, and admirable.’
ALEXANDRA MARSHALL 'Adopting Sarajevo'
'Helen Lloyd brings to life my characters in 'A Patient Fury' and perfectly captures the evocative Derbyshire setting. Her nuanced narration was a delight to listen to.'
SARAH WARD - Author 'A Patient Fury'
Listener Reviews
'Life In The Garden' The voice actor is amongst the best I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. Nary a Latin name mispronounced and kindly and accessible throughout.
'Meet Me At The Museum' - 'First, I will reveal that I am neither sentimental nor entirely taken with most fiction. So I was not entirely thrilled to read this book when the title appeared on a friend's book club invititation. I decided to "read" it on Audible while doing some painting, just to fill up the quiet.
I was at first struck by the warmth of Lloyd's voice as compared to the perfunctory stoicism of Knudsen's. If I had not continued I might have jumped to the conclusion that his narration was not quite on par with hers; but I would have been wrong. The voices of the narrators, I came to believe, were perfectly chosen for these characters and lent an authenticity to the story that would have been missed had I simply read the book. Please understand that I love books and reading and by no means wish to indicate otherwise. I was simply struck by the superb vocal acting abilities of the pair.
The story, on the surface, was ordinary enough. An unlikely pair sharing stories about their everyday lives. No great intrigues, no build up of anticipation to make you keep reading. What compelled me to continue was the depth of understanding of the author of the cost of intimacy...the effort it takes to share of oneself and, therefore, be vulnerable to another. The characters' tales are somewhat common and, at times, even predictable. However, their willingness to share and learn from both their own and the other's experiences creates a sense of vibrancy and growth.
Youngson has imbued her characters with logic, optimism, hopefulness and so much more. The result leaving me feeling connected to and invested in this pair (and to my own feelings stirred by their words). So what, you might say, but I often feel alienated by so many modern characters whose flaws are over emphased so as to make them seem more human or by classic characters reduced to characatures or products of their time in order to serve the authors use of them. The characters in this book feel genuine, unique and relatable.
I have tried, to this point, not to give anything away but I would be remiss if I didn't point out that my favorite part is that we do not know what happens in the end. Even as I took pleasure in the development of the relationship between the two I was constantly dreading a tidy ending in which the they realize that they have fallen in love and now must be together at any cost. To my surprise and delight, this was not the ending I got.
From my perspective, the best part of the story was that the characters were unavailable for any kind of romantic entanglement, one mired in grief, the other committed to her marriage. The depth of their honesty and commitment to one another was made stronger by the fact that they could have been any one, from any time (like the Tollund Man himself) sacrificing themselves for the benefit of the other. I was relieved that Tina did not run to Anders in the end, as it would have been entirely out of character. This might lead one to believe that the character was jilted in the end but this was not the case. As she did throughout the book, Youngson ended the book with hope and possibility and the eternal search for new raspberries. I recommend that you read this book and perhaps discover a few of your own'.
'The Duke and the Lady in Red' --This was the first book in a long time where I didn't speed up the narration ever!' The story was great but the narrator's made the story telling even better. This was no light-weight regency love story. I couldn't stop listening. I have these really great water proof blue tooth buds so the only time I wasn't listening I was either sleeping or doing something else I found annoying because it interfered with my listening'.
'Money Farm' - 'Really Great Narration - Brits and Aussies and Germans and more. Lovely voice to listen to and she even captured the rather robotic nature of the cult-like members of the Money Farm.'
'The Earl Takes All' - 'Helen is one of my favorite narrators! She nailed the narration for Edward and Julia--making them come alive. I love her pacing and emotions. I highly recommend listening to this one.
'About Last Night' 'Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! It made me laugh out loud when I listened in the car, I even woke up at night and listened a bit more!
Producer's Comments
'Helen Lloyd is one of White House Sound's favourite narrators. With her rich tone, intimate storytelling and strong characterisation, Helen brings our books to life. Her sense of timing, ability to deliver and sustain accents and crystal clear delivery enriches the experience even further.
CHRIS PERKS - White House Sound.
Helen Lloyd's narration is remarkable. The strength and warmth of her voice easily lifts stories from the page and into the listener's ears. Her story telling is captivating; she is able to find the softest moments in a novel while turning on a dime to humor or anger. She is equally talented with nonfiction titles and presents the work confidently from the author's perspective. She is always an obvious choice for complex titles that require a range both broad and distinct. Lloyd is intelligent, professional, and always prompt. A delight to work with and asset to my roster.
JACKIE ROSENFELD - Casting Director 'BeeAudio Ltd.
©
Helen Lloyd Audio - 2020