INLANDS

Ann Marie Arvdal-Richardson's remarkable performance of this novel illuminates the voice in its protagonist's head, communicating her reflections on everyday thoughts. Yet Arvdal-Richardson is thoroughly compelling. A woman travels from Stockholm to the northern regions of Sweden to be with her boyfriend. By the time she arrives, however, the boyfriend is gone. The woman stays there, finding work and other ways to connect. She remains an outsider in this cold, new environment, where the local people "don't fall through the ice, because they understand it." Willows's audiobook is effective at capturing the feeling of personal alienation. Arvdal-Richardson's voice may seem meditative, but that description belies the depth of her subtle, beautiful work--which is like sipping coffee in the chill of early evening. S.P.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2022]