Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan Mcguire is the tenth audiobook in the Wayward Children series and shares Nadya’s origin story when the door to Belyyreka first opened to her. Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, McGuire once again held me captive in this riveting fantasy.
by Seanan McGuire
Narrator: Barrie Kreinik
Genres: Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.5x
Giant turtles, impossible ships, and tidal rivers ridden by a Drowned girl in search of a family in the latest in the bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Wayward Children series from Seanan McGuire.
Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her.
Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not until her adoptive parents fitted her with a prosthetic arm against her will, seeking to replace the one she'd been missing from birth.
It was cumbersome; it was uncomfortable; it was wrong. It wasn't her.
Frustrated and unable to express why, Nadya began to wander, until the day she fell through a door into Belyrreka, the Land Beneath the Lake--and found herself in a world of water, filled with child-eating amphibians, majestic giant turtles, and impossible ships that sailed as happily beneath the surface as on top. In Belyrreka, she found herself understood for who she was: a Drowned Girl, who had made her way to her real home, accepted by the river and its people.
But even in Belyrreka, there are dangers, and trials, and Nadya would soon find herself fighting to keep hold of everything she had come to treasure.
We first met Nadya. “the drowned girl” in Beneath the Sugar Sky. In that story her door opened for her again. Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear gives us Nayda’s origin story and how her door first opened to take her to Belyyreka, the world under the lake.
I absolutely love the Wayward Children series and the characters and doors we have opened. It was a delight to learn more about Nadya. We meet her on the day of her birth, and spend time with her in a Russian orphanage before she is adopted by a family. Nadya accepts who she is,feels frustrated she can’t make her adoptive mother happy and loves spending time at the pond with the turtles but others make decisions “in her best interest.” The one she struggles with the most is the prosthetic arm her new parents and doctors are making her wear. It isn’t her, and makes her feel clumsy and useless.
It is then, that a door opens for her. Nadya finds herself in the land under the lake known as Belyyreka. Here she meets a fox and finds It’s world of water and creatures, like, child-eating amphibians, talking frogs and giant turtles. In this world with impossible ships that sail on wind and air she finds acceptance. A home, and a family.
Of course there are dangers, and trials Nayda must face and McGuire’s storytelling pulled me in. I devoured this almost in a single sitting. Nayda is a wonderful character and I felt for her and loved seeing her find herself. The ending I knew going in, because of Beneath the Sugar Sky but it still left me sad.
Barrie Kreinik narrates this story and did a lovely job with the Russian accents and voicing Nadya herself. I highly recommend listening to the series.
About Seanan McGuire
Seanan McGuire is a native Californian, which has resulted in her being exceedingly laid-back about venomous wildlife, and terrified of weather. When not writing urban fantasy (as herself) and science fiction thrillers (as Mira Grant), she likes to watch way too many horror movies, wander around in swamps, record albums of original music, and harass her cats. Seanan is the author of the October Daye, InCryptid, and Indexing series of urban fantasies; the Newsflesh trilogy; the Parasitology duology; and the "Velveteen vs." superhero shorts. Her cats, Lilly, Alice, and Thomas, are plotting world domination even as we speak, but are easily distracted by feathers on sticks, so mankind is probably safe. For now.
About Barrie Kreinik
Barrie Kreinik is an actor, singer, and audiobook narrator based in New York City. Her performance work includes numerous Off-Broadway and regional theater productions, as well as cabarets, concerts, and solo shows. She received an AudioFile Earphones Award for her very first audiobook and has since narrated critically acclaimed books across a wide variety of genres. Barrie specializes in dialects and accents, creating colorful and distinct character voices in her audiobooks and often working as a dialect coach for other actors. Barrie holds an MFA in acting from Brown/Trinity Rep and a BA in theater and English from Cornell.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2025 Audiobook Challenge
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature)
As I say every time, just looking for time to read one of this author’s books! And the whole turtle thing has me intrigued too! It just sounds like a good fantasy world. Great review!
Anne - Books of My Heart
I’m sure Robin is reviewing this one. Can you tell I’m trying to put things in order today? – I’m scattered.. I want to read more of this author as I’ve read only a little.