I'D REALLY PREFER NOT TO BE HERE WITH YOU, AND OTHER STORIES

Julianna Baggott has written a timely and compelling collection of short stories covering a variety of speculative fiction themes, many of which are reminiscent of episodes of the dystopian science-fiction show "Black Mirror." A bevy of talented narrators deliver the stories, which have intriguing themes, such as a romantic credit score that renders some individuals banned from dating apps, a gaslighting AI that is paired with certain individuals to increase their dependency, virtual-reality gaming therapy, the process of hacking bodies, and a daughter witnessing the reversal of her father's aging process at the end of life. The laudable narrators, with their varied performances, keep the listener engrossed in highly original and thought-provoking stories. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2024]