SNOWFLAKE, AZ

MW Cartozian Wilson narrates this young adult parable about the potential dangers of the modern environment. Ash isn't sure what to expect when he arrives in Snowflake, Arizona, in search of his missing brother, Bly. What Ash finds is a community of people living with chronic illness, possibly caused by the chemicals present all around them. Wilson's narration is somewhat flat, the monotone reflecting Ash's muted feelings about becoming a part of Snowflake. Ash's dialogue is rendered with unusual grammar, which appears and disappears throughout the novel without consistency. Listeners may find this aspect of the production frustrating, but Wilson gamely works to create a picture of a young person who is searching earnestly for answers and the meaning of human life in the face of its possible destruction. N.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2020]