Like an Impressionist painting that comes into focus as we soften our gaze, this first novel by the award-winning short story writer is, not surprisingly, a unique art form. “Bardo" refers to the Tibetan plane between death and rebirth; the novel, told from the multiple points of view of a cemetery community, is reminiscent of Wilder's OUR TOWN and the colorful epitaphs of Masters's SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY—only darker. Voices chime in with stories of lives and deaths, regrets and grudges as Abraham Lincoln mourns his son Willie, the newest member of the tribe. While it may take a few moments to acclimate to the quirks and syncopated rhythms of this unconventional novel, there’s an undeniable appeal in hearing this impressive cast of narrators. By keeping our listening "gaze" soft, remarkable human forms come into focus.
Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2017
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780553397581
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An excellent cast delivers vividly written characters.
An ensemble cast narrates this folk horror audiobook, which unfolds in two timelines. Ashley, voiced by Jeremy Carlisle Parker, inherits a house in a small town her grandmother never mentioned, which might hold the key to solving her mother’s disappearance. Parker narrates passionately, carrying the majority of the thrills. A hundred years earlier, Frankie, voiced by Jennifer Pickens, grapples with a mysterious illness that starts with the town’s knackerman, who disposes of dead animals. Pickens’ voice wavers with curiosity and horror as the illness takes its toll. In a youthful voice tinged with fear, Cassandra Campbell narrates as Mini, a local girl marked by the knackerman after failing to follow the town’s sacred rituals.
An excellent cast delivers vividly written characters.Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 50 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668115558
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: today
For an immersive experience, listeners might be best served by following along with the print book.
In her rendition of Aguda’s latest novel, Délé Ogundiran forgoes the sparkle and flash of a voice actor for a more traditional role as a storyteller. Yosoye is a naïve, rather provincial 23-year-old recent transplant to Lagos, where she’s just beginning a coveted internship with an uber-modern architectural firm. But her excitement about her new life is soon tempered when she winds up pregnant after a one-night stand. More sinister is that she keeps hearing about pregnant women across the city who’ve been willfully drowning themselves. While Ogundiran’s narration is a boon for listeners eager to hear the prose delivered with a Nigerian accent, she doesn’t create unique voices to distinguish among characters, and the pacing is frequently off, with too-short pauses between sections and chapters that allow the prose to run together.
For an immersive experience, listeners might be best served by following along with the print book.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 39 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349166433
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
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