AMELIA UNABRIDGED

Lesa Wilson narrates this gently poetic exploration of grief and adolescence. When her best friend dies unexpectedly, Amelia struggles to understand how her own life can go on. The mysterious delivery of a book pushes her into the path of a troubled young writer who is dealing with his own tragedy. Wilson's skill at delivering the striking imagery of this love letter to stories is somewhat undercut by character voices that are often indistinguishable, making conversations hard to follow. But Wilson captures Amelia's swings between anger and despair as she grapples with profound grief. Her narration is steady and matter-of-fact or appropriately dramatic when needed. N.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2021]