Audiobook Sample
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- Title: After We Were Stolen
- Author: Brooke Beyfuss
- Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky
- Length: 10:10:48
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 19/07/2022
- Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
- Genre: Fiction & Literature, Coming of Age, Contemporary Women, Family Life
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It’s not every day an audiobook pulls you in like a dusty road winding through an unfamiliar land, but “After We Were Stolen” by Brooke Beyfuss, narrated by Jesse Vilinsky, does just that. From the moment I pressed play, I was hooked – transported to a world of fire, family, and the kind of grit that only comes from surviving the unthinkable. It reminds me of a time when I was driving through the Atacama Desert in Chile, the surreal landscape stretching out like a canvas of secrets, listening to “One Hundred Years of Solitude”. The narrator’s voice back then wove magic into the air, much like Vilinsky does here, turning Beyfuss’s debut into something you can almost feel – the smoke in your lungs, the ache of loss in your chest.
The story unfolds like a map you didn’t know you needed, charting the lives of Avery and Cole, two siblings raised in a remote compound by cult leaders posing as their parents. When a fire tears through their world, they escape, only to discover they were stolen as children. It’s a premise that could easily feel far-fetched, but Beyfuss grounds it in raw emotion and a keen eye for the human spirit. Avery’s journey – losing Cole to his birth family, wrestling with her past, and hunting for the truth about the fire – hits hard. It’s a coming-of-age tale wrapped in contemporary women’s fiction, with a pulse of family life that’s both tender and brutal.
I’ve always been drawn to stories about the families we’re born into and the ones we make along the way. While staying with a family in Oaxaca years ago, I’d sit on their porch as the grandmother spun tales of love and betrayal, her voice rising and falling like a song. That memory flooded back as I listened to Avery’s struggle to redefine her sense of belonging. There’s a moment early on when she and Cole are hiding out, homeless and free for the first time, and you can almost taste the dust on their skin, hear the uncertainty in their whispers. It’s the kind of sensory detail that makes this audiobook experience stand out – Beyfuss paints with words, and Vilinsky brings the colors to life.
The themes here are heavy but handled with care: resilience, identity, the long shadow of trauma. Avery’s desperation to uncover survivors of the fire isn’t just plot – it’s a lifeline, a way to stitch herself back together. Beyfuss digs into the psychology of a cult survivor with a clarity that’s both empathetic and unflinching. As someone who’s spent years chasing hidden histories across continents, I found myself nodding along, thinking of the people I’ve met who’ve rebuilt their lives from ashes. The book asks big questions – What does freedom really mean? How do you heal when your roots were a lie? – and doesn’t shy away from the messy answers.
Now, let’s talk about Jesse Vilinsky’s narration, because this audiobook wouldn’t be half as gripping without her. Her voice is warm yet sharp, like a storyteller who knows exactly when to lean in close. She captures Avery’s vulnerability without overplaying it, letting the character’s strength shine through in quiet moments. Cole’s youthful defiance, the cult leaders’ eerie calm – Vilinsky nails every shift, making the listening experience feel like a conversation with an old friend. The audio quality is crisp, too, with no distractions to pull you out of the story. It’s the kind of performance that reminds me of those Oaxaca evenings, where the teller’s timing was everything.
That said, the audiobook isn’t flawless. At just over ten hours, the pacing stumbles in the middle – some of Avery’s internal monologues drag when the suspense could’ve carried them faster. And while Vilinsky’s versatility is a strength, there are a few secondary characters whose voices blend together, making it hard to distinguish them in crowded scenes. Still, these are small quibbles in a work that’s otherwise a knockout. The emotional payoff at the end, when Avery confronts the truth, is worth every minute.
If you’ve ever read “Room” by Emma Donoghue or “Educated” by Tara Westover, you’ll find familiar echoes here – stories of captivity and the fight for selfhood. But “After We Were Stolen” carves its own path, blending fiction and literature with a gritty realism that feels uniquely Beyfuss. It’s not just a novel; it’s an exploration of survival, perfect for anyone who loves a tale that lingers long after the last word fades.
I’d recommend this audiobook to anyone who craves a deep dive into family dynamics or a character-driven plot that doesn’t pull punches. Fans of coming-of-age stories or contemporary women’s fiction will find plenty to love, and if you’re new to audiobooks, Vilinsky’s narration is a stellar entry point. Even better, you can snag this gem as a free audiobook through some platforms – check Audiobooks.com for a sample and see if they’re offering a trial. There’s something poetic about a story of freedom being so accessible.
Reflecting on it now, this audiobook hit me in ways I didn’t expect. It took me back to a night in Portugal, sitting by the Douro River with a glass of vinho verde, swapping stories with a fisherman about the lives we leave behind. Avery’s journey mirrors that – shedding the past to claim something new. Beyfuss and Vilinsky have crafted an experience that’s as much about the heart as it is about the ears, and I’m already itching to revisit it, maybe on my next road trip.
Until our next adventure, amigos,
Marcus Rivera
