ALL THE THINGS WE DON'T TALK ABOUT

Narrator Sagan Chen deftly handles numerous points of view in this poignant family drama about making mistakes, owning up to them, healing, and making amends. The audiobook charts the intertwined lives of a collection of imperfect characters who are striving for connection: nonbinary teen Morgan; their autistic father, Julian; their alcoholic mother, Zoe; and Zoe's on-again-off-again girlfriend, Brigid. Chen captures all of Morgan's teenage bluster, passion, and confusion. Their interpretation of Julian conveys both his love for his child and the coping mechanisms he uses to get through his days. Zoe's slurred speech and self-absorbed tantrums are all too believable. Chen's nuanced shifts in diction and subtle changes in pacing and tone suit the quiet nature of this character-driven novel. L.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2022]