LITTLE & LION

When she returns from boarding school to spend the summer with her family in Los Angeles, 16-year-old Suzette is struggling with defining her sexuality, and with reconnecting with her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Narrator Alisha Wainwright pours emotion into her performance. Taking her cues from the text, she sighs and laughs, her voice quavers and cracks, and listeners feel what Suzette is feeling. Wainwright's empathetic narration makes listeners care about all of the characters, and her performance connects with Colbert's layered, atmospheric story of family ties, identity, and figuring out how to do the right thing. The result is an affecting and engrossing audiobook that will resonate with listeners. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2017]