Princes

I’ll admit, *Princes* left me unsettled—and that’s exactly why I can’t stop thinking about it. Hartnett’s story follows Ravel and Indigo, brothers turned adversaries in a house that’s literally falling apart around them, and Greenslade’s narration sells every moment of their toxic dynamic. His Ravel is all smug, honeyed malice, while Indigo’s voice cracks with repressed fury; you can *hear* the power shifts in their exchanges. The audiobook’s pacing is relentless, mirroring the brothers’ escalating games, though I wished for more breathing room in the quieter, creepier moments (the rat-infested attic scene, for instance, could’ve used more atmospheric pause). What makes this stand out is how Hartnett refuses easy morality. These aren’t ‘troubled kids’—they’re miniature tyrants, and the story’s ambiguity about who’s ‘right’ is delicious. That said, the ending feels abrupt, like the narrative stumbles just as it should land. Still, the production is flawless: Greenslade’s performance and the sparse, eerie sound design (a distant drip, a floorboard groan) make the Kesby mansion feel like a character itself. If you love YA that’s more *We Have Always Lived in the Castle* than *Hunger Games*, this is your next obsession—just don’t expect to sleep easily afterward." "tags": [ "dark YA sibling rivalry