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Title details for The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken - Available

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding

#1 in series

by Alexandra Bracken
Kirby Heyborne
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history-that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made-and then broke-a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, four-thousand-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type. The fiend has reawakened with one purpose—to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts to trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his afterlife without a side of eternal servitude, thanks. But with the help of his long-lost uncle, Barnabas, and his daughter, Nell, a witch-in-training, it seems like Prosper has at least a fighting chance of ridding himself of Alastor before the demon escapes and wreaks havoc on his family. Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host. From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a tale of betrayal and revenge, of old hurts passed down from generation to generation. Can you ever fully right a wrong, ever truly escape your history? Or will Prosper and Alastor be doomed to repeat it?

  • Creators

  • Series

    Prosper Redding

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 5, 2017

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781501962509
      • File size: 288477 KB
      • Duration: 10:00:59

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Kirby Heyborne is in his element as he treats listeners to an audio adventure that abounds with expertly paced escapades, colorful accents, and snarky humor. Twelve-year-old Prosper Redding thinks he's the only unexceptional, unlucky, downright forgettable Redding, until he discovers that a 4,000-year-old demon who is intent upon annihilating his entire family is living inside him. Heyborne captures Prosper's emotional growth from a sad and aimless boy to a bravely determined preteen as he confronts the demon within. From sniveling hobgoblins to resolute yet fragile cousin Nell, Heyborne's command of character voices is exceptional. The verbal sparring between Prosper and the fiend Alastor is wickedly funny and perfectly timed, sure to make listeners of all ages laugh out loud. S.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from July 3, 2017
      Every family has its secrets, but not every family has a secret pact with a demon. In a promising series opener, Bracken (Wayfarer) kicks off the darkly delicious story of Prosperity “Prosper” Redding and his powerful family’s efforts to protect its legacy. Hapless, unpopular Prosper and his twin sister, Prue, are on the cusp of turning 13 when their frosty grandmother holds an impromptu family reunion, with nefarious intent, while the children’s parents are away. Soon after, Prosper is whisked to a haunted house in Salem, where he learns that his body and mind are entangled with a fiend named Alastor (“I know all of thy fears, thy desires, thy jealousy—where thou hides thy collection of small porcelain ponies,” the demon informs him). The story’s mysteries, which involve the fates of multiple dimensions of reality, unfold slowly enough to build anticipation but quickly enough to keep readers furiously flipping pages. Prosper shows tremendous growth (his testy interactions with Alastor may remind some readers of Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus books), Bracken’s cast is drawn in loving detail, and her twisty plot will keep readers guessing. Ages 8–12. Agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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