To call a book one of the ‘best’ is a loose term – reading is largely a subjective, interior experience. But then, that is how word about great books spreads – by the ‘best’ recommendations from regular readers. Today, we’re listing for you the 10 best audiobooks on Storytel. In our opinion these available audiobooks on Storytel are for the hungry devouring of readers.
10 Best Audiobooks On Storytel:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
This Pulitzer prize winner follows the twin lives of a blind girl in Paris, and a techno savvy orphan in Germany whose lives are torn apart by WW2. Marie Laure is separated from her father and stranded on an island. Werner is recruited by the Hitler Youth after coming into possession of a radio. As their lives intersect, a heartwrenching drama of love and war unfolds. Julie Teal’s narration lends to it an intimate feel.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This classic legal Thriller deals with subtle themes of racism as it speaks of a young Black man charged with the rape of a white woman. The narrator of the novel is a young girl whose father decides against all odds for the justice of this wrongly accused man. The audiobook narrator is Sissy Spacek, and her narration is absolutely brilliant.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne
With Jules Verne’s science fiction calibre and Frederick Davidson’s speech and narration calibre, we have a masterpiece here. The story itself talks of a great adventure to defeat a sea monster. This results in three protagonists somehow landing in a submarine, and meeting its enigmatic and intelligent captain Nemo.
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
A hidden gem, this book is an exploration of the precedent to Neil Armstrong’s astronomical flight. Behind the landmark of human endeavour was the scrupulous effort of a troupe of mathematicians – mostly African American women, whom history has not given due credit. This book is a mammoth journey through Nasa’s Golden Age, and the women’s movement as well as the Black movement. Robin Miles gives this book a new dimension in her narration.
Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
In a mammoth book spanning sixty years, Archer has crafted the stories of two men born on the same day on opposite sides of the world. Their paths are meant to cross, and what ensues will be pure destruction. The first is the son of an American billionaire, William Kane and the other is a Polish immigrant, Abel Rosnovski. Jason Culp lends his wondrously enigmantic and thrilling voice to the story, elevating it to the next level.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
This is the heartbreaking story of two friends from vastly different socioeconomic backgrounds – Hussain and Amir. When Amir becomes witness to a dreadful tragedy involving Hussain, their lives sear apart. Amir lives the rest of his life devastated by guilt and pain, until a chance occurrence gives him a chance at redemption. The author, in his sensitive and brilliant voice, narrates this audiobook, making it all the more intimate.
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
This book is the story of the great Indian epic Mahabharata from the perspective of a crucial but often overlooked woman protagonist – Draupadi. From her perspective emerges a beautiful new voice – that of the woman in the epic. Her story is full of aching tenderness and delicacy yet fierce ambition and unimaginable strength. Charting her life from her birth to death, and giving voice to the forbidden loves and secret ambitions in between, this narration by Sneha Mathan stands out.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
This book is a heart-shattering romance between a local small town girl Louisa and the once adventurous but now quadriplegic Will. As Louisa comes into the Traynor home as a caretaker for Will, she ends up falling for this mess of a man, despite his temper tantrums and frustrations. But Will is considering euthanasia. With multiple wonderful narrators, this one is a heavy but worth it read.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The world famous philosophical book follows a shepherd Santiago on his journey to retrieve a treasure in the desert of Egypt. However, the people he meets on the way and the experiences he has change his outlook on life. This book is difficult to narrate, because it is hard to create Coelho’s voice, but award winning Jeremy Irons manages to nail it.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Marquez’s epic romance masterpiece follows the lives of two young lovers, who part ways but eventually come back together in their old age. This story is as tender and beautiful as it is passionate and larger-than-life, and Marques tells it in his typical style. Armando Duran brings to it the classic Latin American accent and voice, making it all the more authentic.
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