LAST DAY

Edoardo Ballerini gives a superb narration of this imaginative apocalyptic story set on Last Day, a worldwide event falling on May 27-28 of each year. The story centers on three individuals--Bear, Karen, and Sarah--whose lives intersect in small ways. Ballerini smooths the sometimes abrupt transitions between episodes so that listeners can experience the story in a steadier fashion. Bear, Karen, and Sarah have each experienced loss and loneliness, and Ballerini gives finely tuned portrayals of their emotional struggles. In particular, Karen, who resides in a group home, is sensitively depicted. The many secondary characters are all fully realized and sympathetic. The tensions in this audiobook are dramatically enhanced by Ballerini's varied pacing. M.J. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019]