Narrated by Finty Williams

The Lord of Stariel is the first in a five book series and as such, spends a decent amount of time on worldbuilding and character introductions. That said, it feels necessary and not overdone. After the death of the late Lord of Stariel, his children and closest relatives gather for his funeral and something called The Choosing, the ceremony in which the semi-sentient land of Stariel chooses who will be the next Lord. The Lord will then use his or her magical talent to communicate with the estate and help keep it healthy and safe, while in turn the land looks after its people. Hetta has returned from the city to attend The Choosing and can’t wait to get back to her independent life. Of course things don’t go as planned and Hetta is caught up in family drama, the possible fae threat, and some local intrigue.

The secondary characters are well drawn and add to the depth of the story. Hetta’s older brother Marius is keeping a secret and definitely doesn’t want to be the new Lord. Cousin Jack has the strongest “land sense” and would love to be Lord of Stariel. There is also the old Lord’s second wife and teen children, a grandmother, and the ever capable and enigmatic butler, Wynn, who is keeping his own secret. All these characters add to the complex situation surrounding The Choosing and its aftermath.

The story gets a bit bogged down in the introduction of the magic system and all the characters, including the fae, but it’s a lovely start to a very entertaining fantasy series that combines a light tone with plenty of intrigue, action, strong plots and romance.

Finty Williams (whose mum is Dame Judi Dench) is a new-to-me narrator but I hope to hear more of her in the future. (She narrates the first three books in this series.) Her character voices are appealing as well as distinct and consistent. Her delivery is confident and she projects the atmosphere and emotions with ease. I was immersed in the story and “forgot” the narrator, which is the highest compliment I can give.

Breakdown of Grade:  Narration – A; Story – B

Running Time: 10 hours, 46 minutes

Carrie Gwaltney