AUDIO

Interesting Facts About Space

S. & S. Audio. Jan. 2024. 8:25 hrs. ISBN 9781797167374. $19.99. F
COPY ISBN
When her phobias threaten to derail her life, 26-year-old Enid, an information architect at the NASA-like Space Agency, cautiously reassesses her traumatic past. Enid, who is neurodivergent and partially deaf, lives a life marked by denial and avoidance. After her father’s death, she awkwardly connects with her bubbly half-sisters, hooks up with women but steers clear of long-term relationship commitments, and shares interesting facts about space with her mother instead of addressing her mother’s deep-seated depression. When her fear of bald men leads to trouble at work and in her personal life, Enid finally seeks help. Narrator Natalie Naudus crafts a compassionate, deeply affecting portrayal of Enid, tenderly capturing her abiding concern for her mother and the arc of her anxiety, which grows from a dull itch to a fever pitch. Naudus also offers sensitive depictions of secondary characters, including Enid’s refreshingly straightforward new lover Polly and her mother, who radiates warmth even when she is overwhelmed by depression.
VERDICT Austin’s (Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead) layered novel reveals resilience in the face of trauma and the possibility of connecting with others while coming to terms with one’s own differences.
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?