WHAT WE CAN KNOW

Narrators David Rintoul and Rachel Bavidge perform with distinct British styles as this speculative novel jumps around in time. Rintoul portrays Tom, who lives in the 22nd century, when the diminished world has experienced climate catastrophes and been ravaged by AI-controlled wars. His professorial tone and diction strongly suggest an indoor life of the mind. Bavidge captures Vivien's 21st-century conflicts, sensuality, and intellect. She's the wife of famous poet Francis Blundy, whose lost work, "A Corona for Vivien," provides the subplot of Tom's search for it a century later. This novel's power arises from a scene in which a 2014 performance of "A Corona for Vivien" sets the stage for the future hunt for it. This audiobook lingers. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]