cover image Too Bright to Hear Too Loud to See

Too Bright to Hear Too Loud to See

Juliann Garey, read by Dan Butler. AudioGO, unabridged, digital download, 11 hrs., $21.95 ISBN 978-1-62064-440-9

Hollywood studio executive Greyson Todd abandons his family and struggles to overcome his bipolar disorder in Garey’s novel, which spans three timelines: Todd’s past, his present, and his father’s past. As Todd makes the journey through a series of electroshock-therapy sessions, he traces the impact of his own unraveling. Narrator Dan Butler ably portrays Todd, brilliantly expressing the thoughts and emotions of this complex character. Butler captures Todd’s troubled mental state with simple vocal fluctuations. With excellent pacing and inflection, the narrator also skillfully builds tension throughout the audiobook. But while his rendition of Todd is compelling, his performance of many of the other characters lacks vocal distinction and depth. A Soho Press hardcover. (Dec.)