SUNSHINE STATE Essays

The author of the breakout novel BINARY STAR believes she's more of a memoirist than a journalist. Sure enough, she herself is the unifying principle in this series of wide-ranging essays. Narrator Madeleine Maby has the rare gift of a light, strong voice, soft at the edges but very clear as she delivers topics that document the author's evolving point of view from that of a child interested in religion to that of an adult interrogator of the way some people live. Several stops in a nihilistic adolescence are also included. Gerard's talent for writing description inspires visceral reactions. Maby inhabits the very personal space Gerard creates in her essays. Her pacing is unhurried but always consistent. Author and narrator are a powerful combination. F.C. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2017]