All We Can Do Is Wait

Reader Linneman’s emotional, empathetic narration draws readers into Lawson’s YA novel about a tragic bridge collapse that brings together several teenagers who meet in the waiting room of Boston General Hospital. When the Tobin Bridge collapses into Boston’s Mystic River, the initial death toll is over 200. As Skylar, Morgan, and siblings Alexa and Jason wait to hear whether their loved ones survived the collapse, they form connections with each other. Rather than a straightforward reading, actor Linneman captures the emotional toil of each character over the course of that one harrowing evening, as well as in flashbacks revealing their relationships to the victims. Her voice trembles tearful, joyful, loving, or scared––depending on what the moment requires. This brings an immediacy and vibrancy to such lines as, “The first time he kissed Kyle, Jason had felt like he was both lifting off the earth and sinking into it.” Linneman also creates distinctive voices for the characters, most memorably the strong Boston accent of Morgan. Linneman’s impressive narration elevates this excellent novel. Ages 12–up. A Razorbill hardcover. (Feb.)