THE HOUSE OF IMPOSSIBLE BEAUTIES

Set in New York City at the dawn of the AIDS epidemic, this audiobook focuses on four transgender or gay teens who run away from home, finding even poverty and the harsh city streets to be better than the rejection of their families. Narrator Christian Barillas's respectful performance successfully navigates a potential obstacle course of stereotypes, starting with his authentic-sounding Spanglish and Puerto Rican accent, which solidly place this heartrending story in the Latino community. In addition, he deftly sidesteps cartoonish inflections while infusing the characters' dialogue with an outward sassiness and a hint of their deep vulnerability. Listeners will long remember the experiences of these young people who are uncomfortable with the expectations of their birth gender or sexual preference and who want nothing more than acceptance and love. C.B.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2018]