Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for This Shining Life by Harriet Kline - Available

This Shining Life

A Novel

by Harriet Kline
Mary Jane Wells
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
A boy struggling to process an unexpected loss believes he has been given a series of clues to the biggest puzzle of all—the meaning of life—in this deeply felt debut novel.
“An exquisitely beautiful and compelling novel about love, loss, and life.”—Rachel Joyce, New York Times bestselling author of Miss Benson’s Beetle
Meet Ollie. He’s eleven years old. He hasn’t yet met a Killer Sudoku he can’t solve, but he finds the world around him difficult. People don’t say what they mean, and he hates being wrong. And now, a sudden tragedy teaches him there is no easy answer to the problem of grief. 
When Ollie’s happy-go-lucky father, Rich, dies of brain cancer, his mother, Ruth, has no idea how to keep living, and the entire family is thrown into disarray. The only thing that makes sense to Ollie is the puzzle he’s convinced his father left behind: one gift for each member of the family. If Ollie can find the connection between a pink vase and an old pair of binoculars, then somehow he’ll discover the secret he believes Rich wanted to share with them all: what it means to be alive.
Interweaving the voices of each character in turn, this deeply felt novel paints a portrait of a family learning to come together through the darkest times. This Shining Life is a poignant yet ultimately uplifting meditation on grief, healing, and love.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 22, 2021

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593348772
      • File size: 238553 KB
      • Duration: 08:16:59

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      An ensemble of talented narrators enhances the humanity of the family members in Harriet Kline's beautifully conceived novel. After Rich is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, the shock reverberates through the lives of his wife, Ruth; his son, 11-year-old Ollie, who's on the autism spectrum; Rich's parents, Marjorie and Gerald; Ruth's mother, Angran (Ollie's combining of Angela and Grandma); and Ruth's sister, Nessa. Delivered in crisp, insightful monologues, all the narrations are top-notch--but Sam Newton, as Ollie, is superb. Newton offers a completely believable first-person account of a child with autism who is searching for meaning in his dad's death. Mary Jane Wells makes Ruth's depression real, and Jenny Sterlin's flawless performance as cantankerous Angran delivers her unsentimental coping strategies. This audiobook is a must-listen. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading
Check out what's being checked out right now