DELPHI

Pollard's debut novel is set in contemporary London during the Covid pandemic. Emma Lowndes brings the unnamed narrator, a classics scholar, to life as she tries to balance the needs of her husband and 10-year-old son with her own needs. She is studying ancient prophecies and attempting to predict the future. In a detached academic voice, Lowndes defines 65 ancient methods of prophecy while interweaving Greek mythology, the surreal aspects of isolation during lockdown, and the impact of other global events. Listeners hear the scholar's resentment and her husband's defensiveness as he shirks parenting responsibilities. Rae, the tarot reader, sounds young as she pronounces her vague observations with an inflection that turns them into questions. Many listeners will identify with the protagonist's stream-of-consciousness reflections on our lives during Covid. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2022]