Sisters

This novella-length story largely takes place inside the mind and memory of a unnamed, insecure narrator who constantly compares herself to her husband’s ex-wife. No characters are named—it’s just “my husband,” “his son,” “his daughter,” and “she” for the ex-wife—and the narrator never directly expresses her feelings. She simply describes various events and her own actions and reactions and musings. Actor Zackman perfectly conveys the emotional distance of the character in her reading: her voice is cool and neutral, like a witness on the stand stating the facts. Her narration is a perfect match for the character but the story itself doesn’t play well in the audio format. An Atlantic Monthly hardcover. (Sept.)