SO FAR AWAY

When student Natalie asks research librarian Kathleen for help with a school project, the two form an uneasy alliance, each recognizing that the other is troubled. After Kathleen discovers the girl is being cyber-bullied, she wonders if and how she can help. Suzanne Toren narrates the chapters told from Kathleen's point of view, adding an ache to her voice and giving listeners a sense of how the woman's losses have colored her everyday existence. At the same time, Toren is careful to maintain Kathleen's pragmatic outlook and disdain for self-pity. Natalie's chapters are narrated by Emma Galvin, whose youthful voice reflects a range of teenage moods. Her reading is particularly sensitive as Natalie grows more despondent over her personal problems and feels there's nowhere to turn. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]