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The Ophelia Network
In an authoritarian America, personal freedoms are at risk, information is being controlled, and legal citizens suddenly find themselves being deported. A growing resistance movement is active, angry, and looking to strike back. And a TV show for kids may be the key.
Enter Celeste Montgomery and Bailey Vance. Celeste is an intern for the show that features Bailey singing and dancing with puppets. While Bailey teaches the kids about geography, Celeste is planting codes into the script, songs, background, whatever she can do to pass messages for the resistance.
Celeste doesn't know who these messages are from or who they're for. But she’s certain about one thing—if the scheme is uncovered, it will be her head on the chopping block.
Only the government got to Bailey first. And Celeste has no idea whose side he’s on.
Listening Length: 2 hours and 42 minutes
Enter Celeste Montgomery and Bailey Vance. Celeste is an intern for the show that features Bailey singing and dancing with puppets. While Bailey teaches the kids about geography, Celeste is planting codes into the script, songs, background, whatever she can do to pass messages for the resistance.
Celeste doesn't know who these messages are from or who they're for. But she’s certain about one thing—if the scheme is uncovered, it will be her head on the chopping block.
Only the government got to Bailey first. And Celeste has no idea whose side he’s on.
Listening Length: 2 hours and 42 minutes
Audible Audio
First published May 26, 2022
19 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Mur Lafferty
114 books1,782 followersNOTE- Goodreads mail is NOT a good way to get in touch with me. I don't get notifications of questions and I'm rarely here. Please contact me via my website, murverse.com.
Mur Lafferty is the author of Solo: A Star Wars Story and the Hugo and Nebula nominated novel Six Wakes, The Shambling Guides series, and several self pubbed novels and novellas, including the award winning Afterlife series. She is the host of the Hugo-winning podcast Ditch Diggers, and the long-running I Should Be Writing. She is the recipient of the John Campbell Award for best new writer, the Manly Wade Wellman Award, the Best Fancast Hugo Award, and joined the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2015, its inaugural year.
Mur Lafferty is the author of Solo: A Star Wars Story and the Hugo and Nebula nominated novel Six Wakes, The Shambling Guides series, and several self pubbed novels and novellas, including the award winning Afterlife series. She is the host of the Hugo-winning podcast Ditch Diggers, and the long-running I Should Be Writing. She is the recipient of the John Campbell Award for best new writer, the Manly Wade Wellman Award, the Best Fancast Hugo Award, and joined the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2015, its inaugural year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 11, 2022
Loved it! It’s got a 1984-vibe and I love reminders of how bad it can get if we are led by a government who dictates everything.
December 31, 2024
This is a nice novella about a group of rebellious hackers using a kids' television puppet show to disperse coded messages in order to disrupt an oppressive Dystopian government. It's an uncomplicated and YA-appropriate story, but with enough twists and ingenious details to hold my interest. The back cover proclaims; "Blues Clues meets 1984 in this thrilling novella from Mur Lafferty!", which seems fair and appropriate. It all ties up a little too neatly and easily at the end, but I thought the characters were quite well depicted and developed.
June 18, 2022
Mur Lafferty wrote this. I’m partial to her because I enjoyed her fantasy “Shambling Guides” series a few years ago. She’s a very imaginative writer.
An Audible Original, so it’s audio only, no text. Thus, I missed a few points of information.
Well written science fiction about
a near future U.S. under an authoritarian government
controlling all information through an AI, Ophelia, that’s supposedly unhackable.
People opposed to the government are being jailed, disappeared, deported, etc.
The “DFT” (Department of Fairness?? and Truth) is censoring and controlling all info, even NPR kids’ shows.
An underground resistance movement is trying to overthrow said authoritarian government’s death grip on everything.
The whole story is presented like episodes of a particular kids’ show (about the character “Limby”), with kids’ songs, rhymes, etc.
It was well written, well produced, well read, etc.
And it’s short.
But maybe too cutesy for my taste.
My complaint about recent Audible Originals is that they’re a bit overdone: overproduced, overacted, etc.
Like old timey radio shows.
So: Production, writing, acting, etc.: 4
My enjoyment of the audio: 3.5
An Audible Original, so it’s audio only, no text. Thus, I missed a few points of information.
Well written science fiction about
a near future U.S. under an authoritarian government
controlling all information through an AI, Ophelia, that’s supposedly unhackable.
People opposed to the government are being jailed, disappeared, deported, etc.
The “DFT” (Department of Fairness?? and Truth) is censoring and controlling all info, even NPR kids’ shows.
An underground resistance movement is trying to overthrow said authoritarian government’s death grip on everything.
The whole story is presented like episodes of a particular kids’ show (about the character “Limby”), with kids’ songs, rhymes, etc.
It was well written, well produced, well read, etc.
And it’s short.
But maybe too cutesy for my taste.
My complaint about recent Audible Originals is that they’re a bit overdone: overproduced, overacted, etc.
Like old timey radio shows.
So: Production, writing, acting, etc.: 4
My enjoyment of the audio: 3.5
April 2, 2023
This was an entertaining audiobook - I was actually impressed that it wasn't a full audio cast but just one person. Free on audible!
September 19, 2022
3.5 stars.
The ideas behind this were great. The narrative is very tight (considering how short it is) and everything is wrapped up in a neat bow. The gimmick of the intermissions by the puppet work well. The narrator did a great job, all things considered.
An interesting idea though it seems very unrealistic to how this would actually go. I both like and dislike how optimistic the ending is. It feels good especially considering how our own society seems to be turning and how often stories like this one are pessimistic. The pessimism seems to be well earned and perhaps a more responsible way of telling these stories but all in all, I can't blame the narrative too much for that. There's a place for Pyrrhic victories and doom and gloom the same way that there's a place for happy endings.
The ideas behind this were great. The narrative is very tight (considering how short it is) and everything is wrapped up in a neat bow. The gimmick of the intermissions by the puppet work well. The narrator did a great job, all things considered.
An interesting idea though it seems very unrealistic to how this would actually go. I both like and dislike how optimistic the ending is. It feels good especially considering how our own society seems to be turning and how often stories like this one are pessimistic. The pessimism seems to be well earned and perhaps a more responsible way of telling these stories but all in all, I can't blame the narrative too much for that. There's a place for Pyrrhic victories and doom and gloom the same way that there's a place for happy endings.
June 26, 2022
A great little audio novella. Quirky in format, but charmingly executed.
It came free with my Audible subscription, which was a nice bonus because I would normally seek out and buy anything that Mur publishes.
I would definitely have been on board for a more expanded version of the story, but it works well as-is. Recommended!
It came free with my Audible subscription, which was a nice bonus because I would normally seek out and buy anything that Mur publishes.
I would definitely have been on board for a more expanded version of the story, but it works well as-is. Recommended!
April 2, 2025
Intriguing premise, that kept me interested. But the grating voice of the over enthusiastic female narrator in the story was distracting. I dreaded everything her voice popped in.
September 25, 2022
This was a great story and a welcomed break from thriller themes. There were a lot of messages within the story…one specifically referred to what could happen if we moved under dictatorship. Lots of censorship.
October 18, 2023
I enjoyed how the book had an old-school feel to it.
While not a new concept to be introduced to the book world, a government ruling over absolutely everything, I enjoyed this take on the idea and how bad things can get if this should ever happen. The length of the audiobook counted against it as everything felt quick and wrapped up, and exploring the concepts in more detail would've done the story better. The narration was done well and overall it was a nice book to listen to.
Read more here: https://sincerelyyoursannie.wordpress...
While not a new concept to be introduced to the book world, a government ruling over absolutely everything, I enjoyed this take on the idea and how bad things can get if this should ever happen. The length of the audiobook counted against it as everything felt quick and wrapped up, and exploring the concepts in more detail would've done the story better. The narration was done well and overall it was a nice book to listen to.
Read more here: https://sincerelyyoursannie.wordpress...
November 2, 2022
I liked this! I thought the core premise was good and I enjoyed the characters. I sort of wish that everything had been either left a bit more vague, or the ending had been allowed to go into a bit more detail – as it is I felt like the ending kinda occupied a middle ground where some things had been neatly wrapped up and some were left dangling, which frustrated me because I really wanted one or the other. (I think this might be something others had, too, as I noticed a couple other reviews mention it.)
October 18, 2022
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE OPHELIA NETWORK ABOUT?
Under a dystopian U.S. government, a group of resistance workers coordinate through encoded messages in newspapers—but when the government sends censors to those outlets, they have to find a new way to spread the word to their operatives.
Which is where Libby comes in—it's a children's TV show—sort of a Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, but with puppets. The show's new intern (a recently laid-off newspaper reporter) is using nonsense lyrics in their songs to communicate these messages.
We join the story when the actor playing the human character on the show is being interrogated, and get flashbacks catching us up to the present.
All of this happens under the watchful and helpful gaze of the "unhackable" Alexa/Siri-esque electronic assistant, Ophelia, that's in every office, interrogation room, and restaurant.
KHRISTINE HVAM
I've listened to something like twenty audiobooks narrated by Hvam—all reading Faith Hunter works (I thought I listened to a non-Hunter book, but can't prove it). I enjoy what she does, she can deliver solid character work and accents, and evoke the right emotions. What I didn't know is that a cartoon voice from her can crack me up—there's a giggle we hear in this that would be worth the purchase price (if Audible didn't include it for members). There's one other character voice that doesn't sound like someone from Hunter's works, which is almost as good, too.
I had a blast with this.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE OPHELIA NETWORK?
A novel-length version of this story might be too much—but I think this novella isn't quite enough. It's just a little too short, the story doesn't get to be fully played out. Yes, Lafferty closes things off cleverly (especially if she didn't want to get detailed about the ending), and no, I don't think we needed to see the government fall/change for this to be an effective story. But we needed something a little more.
I am not complaining about what Lafferty and Hvam gave us, though—I just wanted more of it. I don't know if a sequel is planned, but I'd welcome it. It's a good Orwellian-ish story but with just enough humor to keep it from being entirely oppressive and dark. There's a lot more to explore, but if that doesn't happen, I'm satisfied with what we received.
This caught my eye after I read Lafferty's Station Eternity , and seeing Hvam's name on it sealed the deal. I'm going to keep an eye out for more from Lafferty, there's something that she's doing that just clicks with me. The Ophelia Network isn't perfect, but I enjoyed this glance at a dystopian future, the characters and plot worked, and Hvam knocked it out of the park. If you have the means, give it a shot.
---
WHAT'S THE OPHELIA NETWORK ABOUT?
Under a dystopian U.S. government, a group of resistance workers coordinate through encoded messages in newspapers—but when the government sends censors to those outlets, they have to find a new way to spread the word to their operatives.
Which is where Libby comes in—it's a children's TV show—sort of a Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, but with puppets. The show's new intern (a recently laid-off newspaper reporter) is using nonsense lyrics in their songs to communicate these messages.
We join the story when the actor playing the human character on the show is being interrogated, and get flashbacks catching us up to the present.
All of this happens under the watchful and helpful gaze of the "unhackable" Alexa/Siri-esque electronic assistant, Ophelia, that's in every office, interrogation room, and restaurant.
KHRISTINE HVAM
I've listened to something like twenty audiobooks narrated by Hvam—all reading Faith Hunter works (I thought I listened to a non-Hunter book, but can't prove it). I enjoy what she does, she can deliver solid character work and accents, and evoke the right emotions. What I didn't know is that a cartoon voice from her can crack me up—there's a giggle we hear in this that would be worth the purchase price (if Audible didn't include it for members). There's one other character voice that doesn't sound like someone from Hunter's works, which is almost as good, too.
I had a blast with this.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE OPHELIA NETWORK?
A novel-length version of this story might be too much—but I think this novella isn't quite enough. It's just a little too short, the story doesn't get to be fully played out. Yes, Lafferty closes things off cleverly (especially if she didn't want to get detailed about the ending), and no, I don't think we needed to see the government fall/change for this to be an effective story. But we needed something a little more.
I am not complaining about what Lafferty and Hvam gave us, though—I just wanted more of it. I don't know if a sequel is planned, but I'd welcome it. It's a good Orwellian-ish story but with just enough humor to keep it from being entirely oppressive and dark. There's a lot more to explore, but if that doesn't happen, I'm satisfied with what we received.
This caught my eye after I read Lafferty's Station Eternity , and seeing Hvam's name on it sealed the deal. I'm going to keep an eye out for more from Lafferty, there's something that she's doing that just clicks with me. The Ophelia Network isn't perfect, but I enjoyed this glance at a dystopian future, the characters and plot worked, and Hvam knocked it out of the park. If you have the means, give it a shot.
March 21, 2023
Wow! What a great short story! I'm pleasantly surprised.
After finishing the insanely long novel called "The Goldfinch", I needed something short and sweet. Both the cover and the summary to this story looked interesting, so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did! If I had to compare it to another novel, I would say it reminded me of "1984" by George Orwell. While Big Brother is watching throughout "1984", this story had a very similarly made Ophelia Network watching and controlling your everyday life. I love this kind of idea for a novel and wish I could find more!
Something that automatically caught my attention was how every chapter started off with the puppet known as Limby explaining what was going on and how the story was progressing. It threw me off at first, but I grew accustomed to it and ended up enjoying the quirkiness it brought to the story. Hiding secret messages against the government in a children's show is something I would never expect. It was unique! I also loved the different personalities all the characters had, especially the character that voiced Limby on said children's show. For such a short story, I grew connected to the characters and loved the twist at the end when Bailey tried to escape captivity. It was definitely a pleasant surprise and a great way to end things.
The only two reasons I'm giving this four rather than five stars is simple. One is the fact that I simply wished it was longer. This idea could have easily been made into a full-fledged novel with more added into the plotline. I would have loved to see that! The other reason is the small fact that, while I loved the characters, I wish their relationships could have grown a bit more. Celeste and Bailey's relationship, for example, felt incredibly rushed due to how short the story was. If the story was longer, their relationship could have felt less forced and more natural. Celeste's relationships with all of the other characters felt this way, which was disappointing when you saw how interesting this story was and how well it would have worked as a full novel.
If you enjoy storylines similar to "1984", I seriously suggest giving this a try! While it isn't perfect, it's worth the three hours it takes to listen to it on Audible.
After finishing the insanely long novel called "The Goldfinch", I needed something short and sweet. Both the cover and the summary to this story looked interesting, so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did! If I had to compare it to another novel, I would say it reminded me of "1984" by George Orwell. While Big Brother is watching throughout "1984", this story had a very similarly made Ophelia Network watching and controlling your everyday life. I love this kind of idea for a novel and wish I could find more!
Something that automatically caught my attention was how every chapter started off with the puppet known as Limby explaining what was going on and how the story was progressing. It threw me off at first, but I grew accustomed to it and ended up enjoying the quirkiness it brought to the story. Hiding secret messages against the government in a children's show is something I would never expect. It was unique! I also loved the different personalities all the characters had, especially the character that voiced Limby on said children's show. For such a short story, I grew connected to the characters and loved the twist at the end when Bailey tried to escape captivity. It was definitely a pleasant surprise and a great way to end things.
The only two reasons I'm giving this four rather than five stars is simple. One is the fact that I simply wished it was longer. This idea could have easily been made into a full-fledged novel with more added into the plotline. I would have loved to see that! The other reason is the small fact that, while I loved the characters, I wish their relationships could have grown a bit more. Celeste and Bailey's relationship, for example, felt incredibly rushed due to how short the story was. If the story was longer, their relationship could have felt less forced and more natural. Celeste's relationships with all of the other characters felt this way, which was disappointing when you saw how interesting this story was and how well it would have worked as a full novel.
If you enjoy storylines similar to "1984", I seriously suggest giving this a try! While it isn't perfect, it's worth the three hours it takes to listen to it on Audible.
June 19, 2022
( Format : Audiobook )
"There's pie."
A repressive regime, and a children's T.V.puppet show, perhaps along the lines of Sesame Street, teaching the kids to be good citizens, plus a dominant AI network called Orphelia which keeps everything in order. The authorities suspect that the show is delivering coded messages of insurrection and determine to shut it down.
An interesting and fun audio production which succeeds mainly because of the narrator's brilliant (if very irritating) puppet show voices and the horrible songs she leads which the kids are encouraged to sing. Overall, a bit confusing, especially in the early parts, but this is surely deliberate and part of the plot. Sadly, for an inventive coder, the main character seemed just a little too dim to be real.
Well worth a listen, if only to hear Khrisine Hvam's glorious giggle.
This is an Audible Original production, available to listen for free with Audible Plus.
"There's pie."
A repressive regime, and a children's T.V.puppet show, perhaps along the lines of Sesame Street, teaching the kids to be good citizens, plus a dominant AI network called Orphelia which keeps everything in order. The authorities suspect that the show is delivering coded messages of insurrection and determine to shut it down.
An interesting and fun audio production which succeeds mainly because of the narrator's brilliant (if very irritating) puppet show voices and the horrible songs she leads which the kids are encouraged to sing. Overall, a bit confusing, especially in the early parts, but this is surely deliberate and part of the plot. Sadly, for an inventive coder, the main character seemed just a little too dim to be real.
Well worth a listen, if only to hear Khrisine Hvam's glorious giggle.
This is an Audible Original production, available to listen for free with Audible Plus.
March 29, 2024
In an authoritarian America, the government discovers that there is an underground organization trying to rebel against the regime and that a group of network workers are sending them coded messages through a children's show.
There are hidden messages in the songs sung by the pupppets, for instance.
Government agents capture the host of the show, Bailey, and start questioning him. He is insistent that he doesn't know anything. In the meantime, his boss and the new intern in his workplace, a woman named Celeste, who was fired from her job in the newspaper so that she can come and work for the network to send messages to the rebels, are actively working to save Bailey from the agents.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Conrats to Bailey, because I was convinced that he truly didn't know anything for a while. Also, I couldn't have guessed that one of the agents who was questioning Bailey was on the side of the rebels.
Nice twist.
Extra points to the unique storytelling, as well, since the entire story was told by the puppet from Bailey's show.
There are hidden messages in the songs sung by the pupppets, for instance.
Government agents capture the host of the show, Bailey, and start questioning him. He is insistent that he doesn't know anything. In the meantime, his boss and the new intern in his workplace, a woman named Celeste, who was fired from her job in the newspaper so that she can come and work for the network to send messages to the rebels, are actively working to save Bailey from the agents.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Conrats to Bailey, because I was convinced that he truly didn't know anything for a while. Also, I couldn't have guessed that one of the agents who was questioning Bailey was on the side of the rebels.
Nice twist.
Extra points to the unique storytelling, as well, since the entire story was told by the puppet from Bailey's show.
October 1, 2023
This is an interesting perspective on a dystopian but all-too-near future being interrogated through a mystery and a kid's TV show. And a fair bit of Alexa-bashing.
An overly security-focused government is trying to identify the individuals passing messages to the resistance. But have they gone too far by focusing their attention on a regional kid's show? The story passes between the perspectives of Celeste and Bailey, two different sides to the story, while being narrated by Limby, a puppet from the kid's show. It starts off a little slow, but builds to a pretty impressive climax, leaving plenty of hints as to what's going to happen along the way, and earning its finale. There's a lot happening in this under-3-hour story, and it's well presented and entertaining. Definitely Recommended.
An overly security-focused government is trying to identify the individuals passing messages to the resistance. But have they gone too far by focusing their attention on a regional kid's show? The story passes between the perspectives of Celeste and Bailey, two different sides to the story, while being narrated by Limby, a puppet from the kid's show. It starts off a little slow, but builds to a pretty impressive climax, leaving plenty of hints as to what's going to happen along the way, and earning its finale. There's a lot happening in this under-3-hour story, and it's well presented and entertaining. Definitely Recommended.
January 19, 2023
The Ophelia Network by Mur Lafferty
2h 42m narrated by Khristine Hvam
Genre: Novella, Science Fiction > Dystopia; Short Stories, Thriller > Domestic, Political
Featuring: Physical Character Descriptions, Fascism, Kid's Show
Rating as a movie: PG-13
My rating: ⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: This is my fault. I saw Blue's Clues meets 1984, two things I'm not into, and I thought why not? I'm still not completely sure what happened. I get the gist, but I need a lesson plan to go with this story to understand fully. The puppet voice was really annoying, and even though he explained events as if the reader was 4 years old, something got lost in translation.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. I would skip it, but it had some good reviews.
2h 42m narrated by Khristine Hvam
Genre: Novella, Science Fiction > Dystopia; Short Stories, Thriller > Domestic, Political
Featuring: Physical Character Descriptions, Fascism, Kid's Show
Rating as a movie: PG-13
My rating: ⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: This is my fault. I saw Blue's Clues meets 1984, two things I'm not into, and I thought why not? I'm still not completely sure what happened. I get the gist, but I need a lesson plan to go with this story to understand fully. The puppet voice was really annoying, and even though he explained events as if the reader was 4 years old, something got lost in translation.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. I would skip it, but it had some good reviews.
September 22, 2024
Loved it! Lots of goodness and fun wrapped up into a short and sweet novella. In a near-future dystopia (which resembles contemporary life in an uncomfortable way), we see a covert resistance movement against a “big brother” American government— secret information is dispersed through the resistance network through codes hidden within a children’s TV show. We get two timelines: present time, when the host of the show is detained and interrogated, and the past events leading up to it.
This was a really easy book to get into. There is a wonderful balance of plot pacing and character development, with some thought-provoking political commentary. A fun read, highly recommend! Audiobook narration was great.
This was a really easy book to get into. There is a wonderful balance of plot pacing and character development, with some thought-provoking political commentary. A fun read, highly recommend! Audiobook narration was great.
February 1, 2025
This somewhat satirical novella is set in the near future where a fascist government has taken control of all of the news outlets and other forms of communication. The central characters are Celeste, a former journalist now an intern on a kid’s TV show and Bailey, the star of the show. As the story unfolds, we learn that this government also has revoked citizenship of any citizen who cannot prove that their parents and grandparents were also citizens of the same country. Anyone who cannot prove it will be detained, interrogated and deported. Engaging and well written, I also found this novella to be simultaneously horrifying.
October 30, 2024
I think Mur called it Blue’s Clues meets Fahrenheit 451 on her podcast… and yeah; that is exactly what it is.
In a world of constant surveillance who keeps an eye on a children’s puppet show? But the rebel alliance are sending coded messages in the cheery songs the poor presenter has to keep singing.
interesting that Mur thought universities and colleges would be bastions of the people and information, when it seems in current news (2024) they are among the first to sell out civil liberties and freedom of speech for funding dollars. Peaceful protest? Not on our lawns…
4 stars
In a world of constant surveillance who keeps an eye on a children’s puppet show? But the rebel alliance are sending coded messages in the cheery songs the poor presenter has to keep singing.
interesting that Mur thought universities and colleges would be bastions of the people and information, when it seems in current news (2024) they are among the first to sell out civil liberties and freedom of speech for funding dollars. Peaceful protest? Not on our lawns…
4 stars
February 6, 2025
(It says Audible original story on the entry, but I picked this up as an ebook from the library.) What if the resistance was hiding codes in a children's TV show on PBS, and what happens when the lead actor on the show gets captured and interrogated? Bounces back and forth between the background of what happened and what is actually going down in the interrogation rooms, along with the unique hell of children's television and code cyphering. On the verge of too real in the current environment, but still a fun read.
April 15, 2025
(2.5 Stars)
Completely middle of the road for me. The story itself was good, but it just didn't grab me. Yes, I know it was a short story... but I don't think I would have liked it to go on any longer than it did. The characters didn't really grow as much as just being thrust into situations and environments. I guess, it was just very "basic". Almost like an assignment paper for a speculative fiction course... or more probably a NaNoWriMo achievement.
I didn't hate it... but it doesn't shuffle this author any further up my TBR list either.
Completely middle of the road for me. The story itself was good, but it just didn't grab me. Yes, I know it was a short story... but I don't think I would have liked it to go on any longer than it did. The characters didn't really grow as much as just being thrust into situations and environments. I guess, it was just very "basic". Almost like an assignment paper for a speculative fiction course... or more probably a NaNoWriMo achievement.
I didn't hate it... but it doesn't shuffle this author any further up my TBR list either.
July 29, 2025
What a fantastic waste of a good idea.
Not a lot of character development in this novella, but it's an engaging story that ends far too soon. I almost thought this was a teaser meant to lead into a full-length novel. I'd have read the crap out of that novel. This was tragic on its own.
If I remember, I'll probably seek out something else by this author to see if their long-form work is better paced and remains interesting. The writing itself isn't bad.
Narrator is fine; they're neither impressive nor off-putting. I wouldn't avoid them and I won't remember them.
Not a lot of character development in this novella, but it's an engaging story that ends far too soon. I almost thought this was a teaser meant to lead into a full-length novel. I'd have read the crap out of that novel. This was tragic on its own.
If I remember, I'll probably seek out something else by this author to see if their long-form work is better paced and remains interesting. The writing itself isn't bad.
Narrator is fine; they're neither impressive nor off-putting. I wouldn't avoid them and I won't remember them.
June 30, 2022
This was very unique haha you have the kids show puppet narrating in between which at first felt weird but it actually ended up setting the scene/story very well. The premise is if Alexa (in this case Ophelia) ran everything from our day to day in society. The government claiming it’s for convenience more than control. People are getting deported and detained left and right so a resistance starts to form… entertaining quick listen
October 23, 2022
why I read this book: I’ve been struggling thru another book and went looking for something short & page turner style. This was in the audible plus catalog.
3 stars
+ 1 star because I listened to the whole thing in one sitting and stayed interested the whole time
+ 1 star for excellent audio narration/performance
+1 interesting unusual story layout (told from perspective of a childrens tv show)
3 stars
+ 1 star because I listened to the whole thing in one sitting and stayed interested the whole time
+ 1 star for excellent audio narration/performance
+1 interesting unusual story layout (told from perspective of a childrens tv show)
September 3, 2022
I love this short story. Great writing. Don’t be turned off by the puppeteer at the beginning of the chapters, she isn’t the narrator throughout.
My only “problem” making it not 5/5 stars is that the story leaves a lot to be desired, and it doesn’t seem to have a sequel, and comes to such an abrupt end.
My only “problem” making it not 5/5 stars is that the story leaves a lot to be desired, and it doesn’t seem to have a sequel, and comes to such an abrupt end.
January 26, 2024
Our main character is unaware and things just happen to her. She does contribute at the end, by revealing a crack in an uncrackable system (a very obvious crack that she shouldn’t have to point out to a team of great hackers).
The production of the audiobook was great. The narrator did so many characters in such distinct ways.
The production of the audiobook was great. The narrator did so many characters in such distinct ways.
October 13, 2024
3 or 3.5 stars. Novella, well-paced, I thought. I was engaged. Finally enough, our main character was my least favorite character. Besides the bad guys, of course.
Narrator did a great job, and the only thing I didn’t like about the book was the puppet narration, which I found greeting and annoying.
Narrator did a great job, and the only thing I didn’t like about the book was the puppet narration, which I found greeting and annoying.
June 22, 2022
This is an interesting take on spy novels. The underground is working through a child's TV show to pass on pertinent information and codes to the resistance in a dystopian American society. It had vestiges of The Handmaid's Tale for me.
October 20, 2022
Didn't realize there was going to be a kid show in the middle of a mystery book. Almost didn't finish it but decided to push through. Some people may love it, I'm not in that group. It's just very confusing jumping back and forth between humans and characters in a kid's play.
January 12, 2023
The idea of the story is interesting but when the action really starts to unravel, it becomes very fast paced and it misses certain details. I think it would have been better if it were linger. I wish I new more about the characters.
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