The Young World

Weitz kicks off a trilogy with a riveting adventure in which teenagers—the only ones immune to a fatal plague known as the Sickness—have inherited the Earth and are fighting over the remnants of New York City. Jefferson and Donna lead the group in their search to find a cure, with each chapter flipping back and forth between their points of view. Narrators Julian and Locke turn in a mixed performance of this postapocalyptic YA tale. Julian provides the voice for Jefferson and aptly captures his internal thoughts, but his portrayal, which sounds distanced and soft spoken, does not quite meld with the character of Loche’s Donna, who sounds a little too bubbly for how the character is written. Both narrations could use better sound balancing, as there are times when adjusting the audio is necessary to hear both characters. Ages 15–up. A Little, Brown hardcover. (July)