FAR AWAY

Monika Felice Smith's youthful voice has a slight rasp, matching the personality of 12-year-old CJ, who is both worldly-wise and naïve. For some years, CJ has traveled the country with her aunt, a medium, who periodically channels CJ's late mother. Smith expresses CJ's can-do attitude toward driving a truck with a stick shift, planning a route anywhere in the country, and learning about how the spirit world works. When her aunt tells CJ that her mother has traveled "far away," CJ seeks reconnection, enlisting the help of 16-year-old Jax. Smith captures their initial friction and growing closeness, the mystery and surprises of their quest, and, most importantly, the truths CJ learns that make her question her relationships and beliefs. S.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2019]