THE WORLD BENEATH

Fifteen-year-old Sophie Reynolds hides her anorexia and obsessive exercising behind a wall of criticism for her mother, Sandy, a dedicated single mom whose husband abandoned them when Sophie was just a baby. Julie Nihill is a dazzling Aussie storyteller who expertly portrays this feisty Australian teenager when her guilt-ridden father tries to reenter her life by taking her on a weeklong hike in Tasmania. Nihill nails Sophie's father as an inept, late-blooming parent—and an amateur hiker who manages to get them dangerously lost, her mother’s worst nightmare. With captivating insight, Nihill captures Sandy’s near-nervous breakdown over this incident and Sophie’s reality check as mother and daughter come to terms with many unresolved issues. Nihill delivers an outstanding story, holding the listener's interest throughout. B.J.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2011]