WILD SPACES

While the onset of adolescence is traumatic enough in itself, the young protagonist in this eerie audiobook ends up facing so much more. Narrator Nick Mondelli captures the confusion of a preteen boy whose perfect life in coastal South Carolina is thrown into turmoil at the appearance of his mother's estranged father, whose overly long stay leads to tension between his parents. Even worse, the boy is dealing with unusual changes inside himself. Mondelli is equally skilled at animating the adults, all of whom are hiding secrets from the boy, especially the bizarre grandfather. Mondelli's delivery deftly reflects the pressure building up within these characters. Thanks to his efforts, there's little surprise that their dysfunctional family dynamics are headed to an even darker place in this creepy production. D.E.M. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2025]