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Streams of Babel Audiobook
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(3.04) - 632 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When Cora Holman's mother dies, she assumes the inevitable: that her mother overdosed on the painkillers she'd been taking for years. So she's shocked to learn that her mother and a neighbor both died of a brain aneurysm the same night. When Cora and other neighborhood teens become ill with a mysterious flu, and government-type strangers arrive in her small town, they all fear the unthinkable—a terrorist attack. With each glass of water they drink, the people of Trinity Falls are poisoning themselves.
Meanwhile, a world away in Pakistan, a sixteen-year-old computer genius named Shahzad is working as a virtual spy. He's alarmed to see an influx of chatter about a substance called Red Vinegar that will, as he reads, "lead to many deaths in Colony One."
Can Shahzad sift through the babble of the chat room, find the location of the attack, and warn the victims in time? And if so, at what cost to him?
A Printz Honor Award winner and two-time Edgar Allan Poe Award finalist, Carol Plum-Ucci explores disturbing new terrain in this riveting novel that examines the heroes and victims involved in a terrifying act of bioterrorism.
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"A truly excellent novel about some teens who get sick via a terrorist attack on their water. It's the story of four teens in a small suburb and two computer nerds, one from Pakistan, who do everything they can to save those four other teens. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it. "
— Sarah (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“A page-turner…A thriller more thoughtful than most.”
— Booklist -
“The characters…are well drawn and have unique voices…Ultimately, this is a tautly paced thriller that will force readers to think about the complexities of living in a post-9/11 world.”
— School Library Journal -
“The swift pace grabs the reader right from the start, with a page-turning intensity. Plum-Ucci takes the incredible and makes it all too believable.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“Gripping…Fans of suspense will discover a thrilling ride.”
— VOYA -
“Rich with unanswerable questions and timely urgency, the book captures the frailty of post-9/11 American life.”
— Horn Book -
“A thriller that feels destined for the silver screen.”
— Bulletin -
“The cast of readers, the same in both volumes, is universally outstanding…The full-cast readings makes this an amazing experience.”
— SoundCommentary.com (starred review) -
“Told in brief chapters from the alternating viewpoints of the six main teenaged characters, this tense mystery is all too believable. Award-winning author Plum-Ucci keeps the tension high all the way through, and she creates credible characters who converse the way teens actually do.”
— KLIATT
Streams of Babel Listener Reviews
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" This was an amazing book! I couldn't put it down, which is bad because I should be studying for finals. "
— Vanessa, 2/19/2014 -
" I'll be honest- I didn't finish listening to this book. I was more than halfway through, and I still didn't empathize with any of the characters or care what happened in the story. Dissapointing. "
— Jenn, 1/30/2014 -
" I'm scared to drink water! A terrorist attack targets a public water supply. The story alternates chapters included affected teens and two teen hackers who help figure out what's going on. "
— Melissa, 1/30/2014 -
" This book was recommended to me be one of my teen patrons. It is a terror-thriller which realy makes you think about the possibilities. Some one is poisoning the water and people are getting really sick and some are dying- what can an eclectic group of teenagers do to help? "
— Lisa, 1/30/2014 -
" Love love loved it! Have read it a few times. It gives you the feeling that the events could happen in any town and the characters are really interesting. Gives a nice chill that a good thriller does. "
— Sarah, 1/28/2014 -
" Very good thriller dealing with a bio-terrorism plot that is so believable that it made me pause. A lot. "
— Brandy, 1/27/2014 -
" Loved this book, but didnt like the language in it. "
— Kristina, 1/14/2014 -
" An alternate-universe (maybe?) take on the events after 9/11 and the teenagers and their parents that get swept into a global bio-terrorism plot. It was sweeping enough that I had to start the sequel right away. It isn't quite Cory Doctorow territory, but it is a darn compelling story! "
— Terri, 1/10/2014 -
" I read this book back in 2009, and liked it then; the sequel finally came out this year, so I re-read this and headed on to the sequel. Together, they are a very satisfying, exciting, and terrifying adventure. "
— Melliott, 1/3/2014 -
" This exciting ya novel concerns bioterrorism when the water supply is poisoned in one neighborhood of a small town. The villains are testing their technique and are foiled by two brilliant teen computer experts. It's a real page turner with interesting characters and subplots. "
— Karlan, 11/27/2013 -
" Biological warfare. "
— Raelene, 11/16/2013 -
" Was pretty slow "
— Spencer, 10/24/2013 -
" A suspenseful book about biochemical warfare in an American suburban neighborhood that brings new meaning to the words, "don't drink the water." "
— Atomicgirl, 10/13/2013 -
" Gotta read the next one! "
— Sue, 8/20/2013 -
" Not really my cuppa. It seemed to be trying to be a character-driven story, but the characters didn't have much to do with each other. I liked the premise, but the more I read, the less I cared. "
— Clickety, 7/15/2013 -
" This was written for young adults but I really enjoyed it as an adult. There is some swearing in it but not so much that it ruined the story for me. "
— Joleen, 6/12/2013 -
" I know I read this book, I just can't remember what it was about........ *is worried she is losing her mind* "
— Emma, 4/6/2013 -
" I really liked this book but there was too much content and swearing for me to finish it. "
— Ella, 1/6/2013 -
" This is a very exciting book about bioterrorism. It kind of creeped me out, but I couldn't stop reading it. "
— cassie, 9/9/2012 -
" I just couldn't get into this story. This beginning is obviously all about building suspense and fear, but I felt none of those things as I read the opening chapters. I was bored because the storytelling was much too dragged out. "
— Lauren, 7/6/2012 -
" This book was okay for the most part. It might be a good recommendation for teenage boys, but otherwise didn't have any outstanding qualities. In particular I wasn't impressed with the ending. "
— Catharine, 6/26/2012 -
" love the different view points from the characters "
— Diane, 1/19/2012 -
" I cannot wait to find out how all the plot lines meet up in this story of bio-terrorism and Internet spying! Even though the chapters alternated points of view, it was easy to follow the course of the plot. A very exciting, realistically written YA espionage thriller. "
— Jean, 1/14/2012 -
" Intense until the end! "
— Zofie, 8/28/2011 -
" An intense book, and I think I'm ok with it...not sure I like feeling scared like this! "
— Andrea, 8/18/2011 -
" Definitely wasn't as good as I thought it would be. "
— Sudeshna, 6/20/2011 -
" Good-but-not-great novel that should appeal to both YA guys and girls. Combines computer hacking, international espionage, and bioterrorism in a plot set six months after 9-11. "
— Nancy, 5/26/2011 -
" People are dying in New Jersey while in Pakistan a teen computer genius named Shahzad is working as a virtual spy. This teen tech triller is a suspenseful read. "
— Mary, 3/7/2011 -
" The voices of the characters are clear and fresh. However, about halfway through the book, the addition of Tyler and his background requires the readers to test the limits of their credulity. Overall, this is an exciting read made frightening by how real it seems in this post 9/11 culture. "
— Anna, 11/5/2010 -
" This book was hot and cold for me. Just when one chapter did not capture my attention then the next one sucked me back in. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. I did not feel I got enough closure with the characters. There was just too many questions left unanswered for me. "
— Keri, 10/10/2010 -
" Not really my cuppa. It seemed to be trying to be a character-driven story, but the characters didn't have much to do with each other. I liked the premise, but the more I read, the less I cared. "
— Clickety, 5/25/2010
About Carol Plum-Ucci
Carol Plum-Ucci is the author of numerous novels for teens, including The Body of Christopher Creed, a Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book that was also nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Mystery. She lives in southern New Jersey.
About the Narrators
Julia Whelan is a novelist, screenwriter, lifelong actor, and multiple award-winning audiobook narrator. She graduated with a degree in English and creative writing from Middlebury College and Oxford University. She is a former child actor who has appeared in multiple films and television shows.
Richard Powers has published thirteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory, and Bewilderment was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Eddie Lopez, a northern California native, earned his BFA in theater from the California Institute of the Arts. He has worked professionally in Los Angeles as an actor and is currently with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He began recording audiobooks for family road trips at the age of eight on his home cassette deck.
Neil Shah is an Audie-nominated and multi AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator who has recorded over 250 audiobooks spanning across almost every genre, as well as numerous long-form journalism articles. AudioFile magazine has commended him for “an absolutely mesmerizing listening experience” and as “an outstanding narrator who adds a healthy dose of personality to each of the characters.” As a classically trained actor, he has appeared off Broadway and on regional stages, as well as in film and television. He records from his home studio in Oregon’s beautiful Wine Country.
Kirby Heyborne is a musician, actor, and professional narrator. Noted for his work in teen and juvenile audio, he has garnered over twenty Earphones Awards. His audiobook credits include Jesse Kellerman’s The Genius, Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, and George R. R. Martin’s Selections from Dreamsongs.
Tai Sammons earned her degree in theater from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, where she worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This award-winning actress currently resides upstate in Portland, with her beloved black pug, Oscar.