Lost on Me

Raimo’s (The Girl at the Door) latest is a memoir-esque tale of a young woman who fabricates much of her life. Growing up in 1980s Rome, the novel’s narrator Veronica muses on purloined paintings she never created, in the fictitious diary she produces for her mother’s benefit; she even swaps written work with her brother. In letters to a friend, she fabricates most of her high school experiences. Veronica’s mother imagines the worst (like a sudden death) whenever her texts or calls are ignored, and her father keeps adding walls to their small home to make additional rooms. The family’s quirks straddle the line of dysfunction and endearing flaws. Though some listeners will be hard-pressed to discern fact from fiction, they might not care, as settling into Veronica’s hilarious anecdotes is enjoyable enough. Carlotta Brentan’s audiobook narration is sheer pleasure, taking listeners on a brilliant trip through the mind of the unreliable narrator, with perfect pacing and compassionate and warm tones.