BELLIES

Nathaniel Curtis and Octavia Nyombi give moving performances in this debut novel about queer love, making mistakes, and growing up. Tom and Ming meet at university and fall in love, but when Ming decides to transition a few years later, their relationship is thrown into turmoil. Curtis voices Tom with cheerful intensity that highlights his easygoing nature and masks the insecurity he hides. Trans actor and performer Octavia Nyombi fully embodies Ming, giving her a soft, low voice that is sometimes full of wry humor and sometimes sounds a bit detached--especially in the moments when Ming is hiding or holding herself back. This is a remarkable novel, performed by two talented narrators who capture all the messy humanity of the characters they play. L.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2023]