THE NEW EARTH

Jim Meskimen takes the pivotal role of the narrator in this dazzling audiobook with a thoughtful tone and sure-handed style. Among an exceptionally talented cast, Robin Miles captures the angsty brilliance of matriarch Naomi; she smoothly performs the character's contradictory combination of self-delusion and self-awareness. Jason Culp portrays her estranged husband, the suicidal Sandy, with eloquent restraint. The children in this Manhattan-based shattered family--Patrick, Winter, and Bering--are voiced evocatively by Josh Bloomberg, Inés del Castillo, and Jaime Lamchick. Each gives these heady, flawed yet compelling characters individuality and grace. A work of metafiction, this novel breaks down the fourth wall as the complex plot moves forward. The many voices in this timely audiobook present a fascinating portrait of a family in distress. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]