The author, known primarily for his iconic graphic novels, is English, so it's not surprising that several narrators of this stunning short story collection have British accents. The speculative stories vary in length and feature, among others, a woman whose brain hemispheres are severed, aliens who are trying to stay hidden despite a peculiar experience with time, and Jesus inheriting property after the Rapture. The longest story, which takes up half the audiobook, is a fictional echo of the author's frustrations with the comic book industry. Each narrator delivers stories that are bizarre and beautiful. Stand-out performances include Samuel Barnett's "Cold Reading" and Matt Reeves's "What We Can Know About Thunderman." All the narrators connect with their characters in ways that enrich the narratives and fully immerse listeners.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2022
Duration: 17 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
All four narrators bring a smart edge to these stories.
Nunez's collection of short stories featuring thoughtful protagonists is well paired with a cast of four talented narrators: Hillary Huber, Rebecca Lowman, Catherine Ho, and Gabra Zackman. The stories are witty, smart, and somewhat cynical. Standout stories include “Philosophers,” drolly narrated by Huber, in which the protagonist remembers a Vietnam-era boyfriend; “Greensleeves,” in which a woman relates her thoughts to her therapist, with narrator Lowman employing an intriguing cadence and rhythm; “The Balloon,” in which the lead character remembers a lover, with narrator Zackman sounding mature, direct, and rational; and “The Naked Juror,” read by Ho, about a woman who wants to be a juror.
All four narrators bring a smart edge to these stories.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 12 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217336777
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
Upbeat, intuitive performances bring a curious collection to life.
Narrators Sarah Welborn and Matt Godfrey fully embrace the quirkiness of this short story collection. Welborn reads the stories led by female roles with an upbeat wryness, pausing on certain words and drawing them out and making some statements into questions, as if to poke fun at the bizarre turns of plot. Matt Godfrey, on the other hand, gives a buoyant nostalgia to the male leads, boys trying to find their place in the world. The vocal energy is sometimes at odds with the stories’ darker messages, but it doesn’t make the performance any less enjoyable.
Upbeat, intuitive performances bring a curious collection to life.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 58 mins
DD ISBN: 9781696614221
Publisher: HighBridge
Review Posted Online: yesterday
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