Narrated by an ensemble cast, this audiobook explores the lives, successes, failures, and frailties of a half-dozen friends from the early 2000s to 2024. The novel's narrators are all talented and capture the millennial characters' struggles well. Jill Paice performs Mia, a writer who is the only single person in the group, with fine tempo and pacing while conveying her angsty tone. Santino Fontana is equally impressive as the brilliant Marco, and Christian Barillas nails the complex alcoholic Richie. The stories unfold during a series of parties, events, and celebrations (New Year's, wedding, birthday, Halloween, funeral) that reveal the characters' issues and relationships over their two decades since graduating from Penn. A meaningful look at millennial lifestyles and a worthwhile listen.
Pub Date: 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797194356
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Deepa Samuel's narration brings steadiness and emotional clarity to this story of the longstanding friendship between Ruchi and Deepa, who are shaped by class, migration, and unspoken longing. Samuel softly portrays the girls' intimate friendship during their Indian school days. Samuel's voice gradually deepens as the narrative moves into adulthood and the pressures of marriage, motherhood, and resettlement in suburban Connecticut. Samuel's pacing allows the evolving tension between the women to surface naturally, especially as jealousy, obligation, and affection collide across decades. Subtle tonal adjustments distinguish private interior moments from scenes of family and community life. Samuel's attentive performance supports the novel's exploration of devotion, distance, consequence, and friendship.
Pub Date: 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781639737871
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrators Jason Culp, Greta Jung, and Erin Ruth Walker present three distinct portraits in this literary story set on a cruise ship in the week after 9/11. Culp channels regret and loneliness through Doug Clayton, an aging actor who has spent a lifetime behind a mask. Jung infuses resentment and tension into Korean American Franny as she navigates a celebration for her mother's 70th birthday. Walker brings out frustration in Lucy, a Black MIT graduate student confronting barriers to acceptance. Against the tragic backdrop of 9/11, the novel sensitively explores issues around gender, race, and sexuality as well as questions of identity, family, and friendship. A slow-burning, character-driven story elevated by three compelling performances.
Pub Date: 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668138694
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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