MACHINE

Few narrators are as capable as Sophie Amoss at conveying the singular mix of ennui, angst, bravado, and drama that consume teenage girls. This short audiobook follows an unnamed privileged girl over the course of a pivotal summer at the shore. It's a time when she begins to see the world through more mature eyes. Amoss emphasizes the teen's emotional turmoil as the protagonist is haunted by the drowning of a local girl, becomes aware of her parents' faults, worries about her brother's self-destructive behavior, and generally questions the power and constraints of growing up female. Equally important, Amoss honors author Steinberg's poetic rhythm and adds drama to the teen's unrelenting thoughts as she pieces together aspects of the drowning accident and imagines the various causes and consequences of that death. C.B.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2019]