Aaron (Survivor Stories #1), by J.P. Barnaby, audiobook narrated by Tyler Stevens
I can’t describe what it’s like to want to scream every minute of every day.
Two years after a terrifying night of pain destroyed his normal teenage existence, Aaron Downing still clings to the hope that one day, he will be a fully functional human being. But his life remains a constant string of nightmares, flashbacks, and fear. When, in his very first semester of college, he’s assigned Spencer Thomas as a partner for his programming project, Aaron decides that maybe “normal” is overrated. If he could just learn to control his fear, that could be enough for him to find his footing again.
With his parents’ talk of institutionalizing him – of sacrificing him for the sake of his brothers’ stability – Aaron becomes desperate to find a way to cope with his psychological damage or even fake normalcy. Can his new shrink control his own demons long enough to treat Aaron, or will he only deepen the damage?
Desperate to understand his attraction for Spencer, Aaron holds on to his sanity with both hands as it threatens to spin out of control.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This is a remarkable, visceral read. Aaron is a survivor of a vicious assault, and Barnaby doesn’t sugar-coat things in the least. The reader is taken along in the spiraling panic of Aaron’s breakdowns and really gets an understanding of the PTSD that Aaron experiences. The author has clearly done an extensive amount of research into how victims of traumatic experiences feel, and how it can be dealt with on the personal and professional level.
Spencer has been deaf from birth, and while his father and aunt have done a great job raising him the isolation he feels in his everyday life is brutal. We learn what it is like to live with being deaf, the sacrifices that have to be made, and how technology can improve communication. Spencer is a strong-willed man, fiercely independent – the antithesis of Aaron in many ways.
Seeing Aaron and Spencer develop a tentative friendship that advances further is wonderful, and realistic. This isn’t something where they meet and it’s all rainbows and unicorns. There are harsh setbacks and disappointments. There are some degrees of intimacy that Aaron clearly will take a long time to be comfortable with, and this is dealt with honestly.
Barnaby’s writing is quite good. The story flows well, the POV alternating between Aaron and Spencer, so the reader has a good feel for how they are thinking and feeling. The side characters, mostly Spencer’s father and Aaron’s parents, behave believably. The support they offer is great to see. I have to knock off half a point because a major issue with Spencer’s father and the impact of it is not fully explored, though.
Tyler Stevens’ narration is fantastic. He helps the listener really feel and understand the emotions of the characters. In Aaron’s case this is no small feat and it makes the audiobook that much more affecting. Stevens’ makes Spencer’s speaking voice as one would expect from a deaf person, but I never got the feeling it was a mockery or unflattering portrayal – it just is. The side characters’ voices are easy to distinguish, and the overall narration feels very natural.
This is at times a difficult read but an extremely rewarding one, and the book is well-served by the audiobook performance.
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