THE SMALL BACKS OF CHILDREN

This harrowing audiobook is simultaneously engaging and disturbing. Narrator Amanda Dolan delivers diverse voices without losing momentum, and the power of her performance is intense. The heart of the story is compelling: A wartime photographer's image of a girl, snapped at a moment of irreparable trauma, takes on a life of its own, changing the lives of those within its sphere. As one might expect, images of violence, cruelty, and pain abound, and, as is often the case with audiobooks, the closeness of these images can be unsettling. While this story may be too much for some listeners, or at least too raw to experience without frequent breaks, it is an affecting exploration of humanity. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2015]