AWAKE IN THE FLOATING CITY

Catherine Ho delivers a masterful performance of Susanna Kwan's poignant debut novel about identity and creating a sense of home amid displacement. Set in a rain-drenched near-future San Francisco, the story follows Bo, a young elder-care worker who faces uncertainty after her mother's disappearance. When Mia, Bo's centenarian neighbor, offers the solitary Bo a job, she readily accepts. Ho blends dulcet tones and resonance to provide an impressive emotional range that captures Bo's reluctance to live in Canada with her relatives and her transformative friendship with Mia. However, it's Ho's humorous and tender portrayal of the enigmatic Mia and her Asian mannerisms that especially shines. Ho lends a haunting beauty to this thought-provoking story. M.F. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2025]