Narrator Julia Whelan brings this realistic, thought-provoking debut to life with heart. She is the voice of Dr. Jean McClellan, once a renowned scientist, now a mostly mute, angry wife and mother who is looking for a way to reclaim her voice and personhood. Whelan expresses a range of emotions: regret for past disengagement, fear as she contemplates her daughter's life without a voice, and determination to fight back in a nation that silences and sidelines half its population. Whelan gives husband Patrick a meek voice peppered with endearments as he encourages Jean to "go along to get along." Son Steven expresses the arrogance of youth as he spouts the propaganda that is passing for education at school. A frighteningly believable story that ends with hope.
Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2018
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525643746
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 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
Narrator Billie Fulford-Brown delivers this thought-provoking story of empire collapse as imagined by renowned novelist Packer in a cool yet impassioned tone. A frightening future splits society into two camps-- the urban Burghers and the rural Yeomen. Fulford-Brown portrays Doctor Hugo Rustin with empathy and urgency as he makes a mistake that pushes him out of the city and into the countryside, along with his rebellious daughter, Selva, just as the conflict between the Burghers and Yeomen begins. Fulford-Brown uses some British pronunciations, but these shouldn't make the experience less fulfilling. Packer's novel of ideas asks what our societal duties are across segregated classes. Fulford-Brown delivers this vividly imagined world as Packer takes listeners into a troubled future that is all too possible.
Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250418371
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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