Alyson Hagy places listeners in an Appalachian community ravaged by nationwide illness and a manipulative local tyrant after an unnamed civil war. Narrator Shannon McManus's thoughtful performance and soft Southern cadence elicit the tenacity and vulnerability of a central unnamed woman throughout her personal and public trials. Alone on family property save for her dogs, the woman provides space for displaced persons on her land and writes atoning letters for paying penitents. McManus contributes to the story's meditative quality with her steady characterizations of residents and the itinerant stranger who insists the woman scribe his letter. As disconcerting events unfold, sometimes dipping back into memory, listeners share the woman's apprehension and pain. Transgression and redemption are equally entrenched, elusive, and surprising in this hardscrabble landscape.
Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781978629417
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Gregoire's performance of these original stories stimulates listeners' imagination, providing plenty of food for thought.
Samek's collection of 12 short stories is thought provoking, surreal, and original. These creative stories are linked by several common threads: psychology, technology, and time. Narrator Chandler Gregoire adopts a personable tone, feminine and relatable, though her pacing can sometimes become a little bit rapid. Several standout stories from the collection include the titular tale of an older brother who has a puppeteer to control him; “Muscle to Muscle, Toe to Toe,” in which a couple is matched by an algorithm but it ends up feeling artificial; and “The Cloud,” in which mothers' limbs are stored in the cloud.
Gregoire's performance of these original stories stimulates listeners' imagination, providing plenty of food for thought.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 16 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217278107
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
In a somber performance, Sue Jean Kim delivers this collection of 10 dystopian short stories that explore climate disaster in the near future. Her quiet delivery captures a deep human longing for connection, love, and meaning. Standout stories include "Biodome," in which New Seoul is enclosed under a protective dome to shield residents from toxic air pollution, and "Older Sister," which portrays two sisters' complex relationship against the backdrop of the LA riots following the Rodney King verdict. Kim showcases her range with varied voices and accents, as well as fluid French pronunciations. Her passionate delivery of the author's note closes this melancholic collection with a powerful call to action. A slow-paced yet thought-provoking listen that transports audiences across space and time.
Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063446410
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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