Ordinary Monsters cover art

Ordinary Monsters

The Talents, Book 1

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Ordinary Monsters

Written by: J. M. Miro
Narrated by: Ben Onwukwe
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About this listen

"Charles Dickens meets Joss Whedon in Miro’s otherworldly Netflix-binge-like novel." —Washington Post

MOST ANTICIPATED SFF BOOK of 2022 by Tor, The Nerd Daily, BookBub, Philadelphia Inquirer, Goodreads, CrimeReads, Buzzfeed, Professional Book Nerds, and more! BEST BOOK OF SUMMER 2022 by SheReads, Book Riot, Goodreads, Gizmodo, Daily Beast, Paste Magazine, and more!

In this stunning historical fantasy, journey to the Victorian era, as children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness in a battle of good vs. evil...

Charlie Ovid, despite surviving a brutal childhood in Mississippi, doesn't have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When Alice Quicke, a jaded detective with her own troubled past, is recruited to escort them to safety, all three begin a journey into the nature of difference and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.

What follows is a story of wonder and betrayal, from the gaslit streets of London, and the wooden theaters of Meiji-era Tokyo, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh where other children with gifts—like Komako, a witch-child and twister of dust, and Ribs, a girl who cloaks herself in invisibility—are forced to combat the forces that threaten their safety. There, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. With this new found family, Komako, Marlowe, Charlie, Ribs, and the rest of the Talents discover the truth about their abilities. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, a new question arises: What truly defines a monster?

Riveting in its scope, exquisitely written, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world—and of the gifted, broken children who must save it.

©2022 J.M. Miro (P)2022 McClelland & Stewart
Action & Adventure Fantasy Fiction Historical Young Adult Transportation Emotionally Gripping England

What listeners say about Ordinary Monsters

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Excellent

Book was great, Narrator was phenomenal. He had the perfect voice for this book and I lost track of the huge number of different voices and accents he did.

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Narrator get you deep in this book, very good

The story starts slow but got momentum soon, and the description is very detailed.
The narrator is very good and the tone and expression get you deep in the story.

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Unique Historical Fantasy

ORDINARY MONSTERS is a unique historical fantasy with magical children, complex themes, action, and unique creatures. I had high hopes for this book and they were definitely met. I enjoyed the morally grey characters, the strange entities, and the adventure everyone went on.

The story follows a bunch of children that can best be described as "magical misfits." They are brought to a school where their abilities can be trained, but the school where they are trained is rife with secrets that could turn their worlds upside down.

All of the characters are charming and endearing. I had a particular love for the adopted-brother bond that Charlie and Marlowe had, but every character is strong, layered, and unique. Even the antagonists are sympathetic in their own right. I loved reading about their interactions as things went from bad to worse.

Because this is a book that pushes its characters to the limit. There is always a sense of tension and danger, and few people are safe. That's not to say that everything is hopeless all the time, but it's definitely a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The world-building, time jumps, and writing style demand some attention from the reader so they are never lost, but it's not so complicated that I felt like I needed a glossary. It's an engaging, immersive story that ends with the reader wanting more. I thoroughly enjoyed ORDINARY MONSTERS, it's twists and secrets, and can't wait to see what happens next!

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Monstrously enjoyable!

What a wonderfully entertaining story. The narrator is superbe. I highly recommend this very different book.

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Excellent Narration

The delivery of this is excellent. I was wandering down a listening path that I dont, normally. I lost interest in the story, because of my listening style. If you like this kind of fiction, the narration is a treat, such that listeners likely become immersed in the book.

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I won't be reading the next one

This is a fairly unique book.
The world building is excellent. Setting the story during the industrial revolution gave it a bit of a Dracula vibe. It highlights a dark and brutal chapter in human history.
The narrator has a deep, resonant voice, which works well for 75% of the characters. A few of the characters, particularly some of the children, are rendered in a way that I found physically painful to listen to.
There are many pivotal characters in the book. perhaps too many. The lives and safety of 4 or 5 children drive the plot. Their supernatural abilities, combined with orphanhood and a brutal start to life, create a commradery among them. But no one child stood out as a main character.
Several adults emerge as the guardians, protectors, teachers, and sometimes manipulators of the children. No one of them stands out as a main character.
In the end I found it hard to care about what happens to them. As a result I won't be reading the next one.



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Slow and dark

Dark book and very very slow. So many descriptions and details that not really needed.

The narrator makes all female voices sound as if they nearly dying 100 old grandmas, even if it’s a girl’s voice + the accents maybe sound kinda accurate to that time and place but that’s what makes dialogs literally impossible to understand.

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Ordinary monsters

Took me a bit to get into it but really did enjoy it. Narrator was good except at times I had to turn up the volume quite a bit to hear him. Looking forward the book 2

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Fantastic!

Wonderful narration. Great characters. Lovely story. Sad to come to the end - but maybe a sequel?

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Great Book

Ms Peregrine meets Harry Potter sort of feel. Very quick wrap up - so pay attention near the end!

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