WHEN THE SKY FELL ON SPLENDOR

Amara Jasper's frank delivery transports listeners to Splendor, Ohio--the site of a devastating steel mill explosion and home to a small group known as The Ordinary. Group members Fran and her friends enjoy investigating local legends. One night something crashes to earth and grants them unusual powers. Jasper's gruff narration captures the pervasive heartache of Splendor's residents in the years since the explosion, while her tone speaks to the danger the young protagonists face as they grapple with the consequences of their otherworldly encounter. How do their powers work? What do their visions mean? Is someone following them? Jasper's pacing builds tension, while her characterizations focus on the young people's quest to find warmth in unusual bonds. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019]