RIPE

Laurel Lefkow's narration evokes the dark tone of this literary novel about a millennial tech worker. Stuck in a toxic Silicon Valley workplace and struggling with depression and anxiety, 33-year-old Cassie feels like she's falling into a black hole. Things worsen when she discovers that an affair has resulted in an unplanned pregnancy at the same time that a deadly virus is taking over the world. Lefkow's performance enhances the novel's bleak mood, building tension as Cassie unravels. While Lefkow capably channels the author's incisive social commentary on capitalism and inequality, the listening experience is hampered by the repetitive use of definitions followed by "e.g." Nonetheless, audiences who enjoy contemporary dystopian stories may want to check this out. V.T.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]