THE LANGUAGE OF STARS

Narrator Katie Schorr's voice is soft as she begins Sarah Wheeler's first-person story. This gentleness conveys the meekness of a girl who is cowed by her boorish father, controlling mother, and domineering boyfriend. Schorr's gentle tone also represents Sarah's dreamy, poetic side. Her conflicted feelings intensify as Sarah ignores her convictions and parties in a museum that is dedicated to her town's hero, Poet Laureate Rufus Baylor. When the museum is destroyed, the wrongdoers must take a class with Baylor himself. Schorr captures Baylor's melodic Southern tones, disarming charm, and growing tenderness toward Sarah. Gradually, her narration reflects Sarah's increasing belief in herself and discovery of what's truly important to her. Schorr's excellent portrayals are crucial to a this character-driven novel. S.W. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2016]