Jane Oppenheimer's narration is thoughtful and appropriate in this story about memories and family. Polly has recently had an accident resulting in short-term memory issues. Trying to regain her independence, she begins to analyze what she remembers. Bouncing between past and current events, listeners will wonder along with her what is real and what has been imagined. In Oppenheimer's portrayal of Polly as a 42-year-old, listeners hear the struggle to hold on to thoughts and memories in her steady pacing and unemotional tone. As a 7-year-old character, Oppenheimer allows wonder and perplexity to shine through. In the brief moments of dialogue, Oppenheimer adds just enough nuance to give all the characters clear voices.
Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2021
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781094175409
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Penning’s narration kicks this imaginative world up an additional notch.
Shaw’s alternative Arctic society, touched with today’s climate-changed environment, is inventive, lovely, and heartbreaking. In a story told from several viewpoints, from various generations, Marni Penning creates multiple characters who plausibly inhabit this off-kilter world. Her performance is enthusiastic, even joyful, but with a perfect quirky edginess. Siblings Milda, Finley, and Temperance Spahr live in a house on stilts, with parents who farm octopus and fly tourists in their floatplane. The Spahrs descend from homesteaders who carted pianos across the permafrost as a symbol of civilization. Most pianos were lost; later generations seek their fortune by recovering them from the bottom of the fjords. It’s a frontier world, but with a twist—there are trained moose, sea lion pets, and salmon with piano keys in their bellies.
Penning’s narration kicks this imaginative world up an additional notch.Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217174096
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
Lakin delivers a layered performance of each complex character, adding depth and insight to this original coming-of-age tale.
In this captivating debut novel, Christine Lakin introduces a domineering mother, her four brilliant daughters, and her compliant husband. The unusual Cross family lives on the grounds of Mercy Hill, a mental hospital run by their mother. The sisters, JJ, Caro, Mimi, and Denise, and their mother, Lisa, sacrifice much to keep the hospital viable. The story is told by the youngest, Denise; she’s young and inexperienced, and the accuracy of her observations may feel unreliable. Lakin’s narration, especially authentic in family scenes, offers portraits of each sister, carefully allowing them varying degrees of awareness.
Lakin delivers a layered performance of each complex character, adding depth and insight to this original coming-of-age tale.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 18 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217290215
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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