AudioFile Reviews
Narrator Tim Campbell's understated performance is ideal for Paul Yoon's contemplative short stories, which are linked by characters who are trying to find their place in the world in the wake of loss. Campbell narrates the quietly emotional stories in a meditative tone that is fitting for the poetic and thoughtful prose. Spanning several continents and a number of different eras, the stories include protagonists who may seem to be disparate at first glance. However, each story offers a glimpse of the inner lives of its characters, all of whom are seeking connection in some way. Campbell captures their longing with sincerity. S.E.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Library Journal Reviews
Yoon gives the listener six separate yet related short stories told in the author's signature style: beautifully austere and quietly heartbreaking. Each story stands alone, but themes such as loneliness, trauma, and the complications within families are woven throughout. In "Still a Fire" and "Galicia," for example, female characters become wanderers or travelers in response to deeply felt emotions they have difficulty expressing or even completely understanding; like most of the other characters, the women are looking for something they may never be able to find. There are also recurring touches (the image of the moon, for example) that reinforce the relatedness of the six pieces. Tim Campbell's narration is perfectly matched to these tales; it is as quiet, understated, and devastating as the stories themselves. These are not works that end with hopefulness; there are no uplifting happy endings. Instead, Yoon presents us with portraits of what it means to be human, to be hurt and confused, to be struggling to recover from trauma and violence, to somehow keep going even when you think you cannot. That he does so in such well-written and compelling stories that do not devolve into sentimentality and pathos makes this collection all the more extraordinary.