FALLING INTO PLACE

Narrator Julia Whelan's voice is calm and clear as she presents an unvarnished picture of Liz Emerson, who dominates her world, bending others to her will while shielding herself from the consequences. Or so she did. As Liz lies unconscious after surviving a suicide attempt, an omniscient narrator presents a series of flashbacks leading up to her fateful decision. Expertly managing a nonlinear story filled with a wide range of characters, Whelan delivers a compelling performance. There's a significant amount of disturbing content—bullying, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual assault—and Whelan doesn’t shy away from portraying the emotional fallout as she movingly delivers the reasons behind Liz’s actions. A.S. [Published: JANUARY 2015]