Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Fly Away: A Novel
- Author: Kristin Hannah
- Narrator: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 16:05:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 23/04/2013
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Genre: Fiction & Literature, Contemporary Women, Family Life
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s a particular magic that happens when a story finds you at just the right moment in your journey. I discovered this truth years ago, driving through Chile’s Atacama Desert with Gabriel García Márquez’s voice in my ears, the surreal landscape mirroring the magical realism of his words. That same alchemy of perfect timing and perfect storytelling graces Kristin Hannah’s “Fly Away”, narrated with exquisite emotional intelligence by Susan Ericksen.
Returning to the world of “Firefly Lane”, Hannah weaves a tapestry of grief, motherhood, and redemption that feels as vast and complex as the Oaxacan valleys where I once learned the power of oral storytelling from abuelitas by firelight. “Fly Away” picks up where “Firefly Lane” left off, following Tully Hart in the devastating aftermath of her best friend Kate’s death. What unfolds is a masterclass in emotional storytelling that had me pulling over more than once during my recent road trip through New Mexico, needing to sit with the weight of Hannah’s words.
Susan Ericksen’s narration is nothing short of revelatory. She captures Tully’s larger-than-life personality with a voice that’s by turns brash and vulnerable, perfectly embodying a woman who’s built her identity on being invincible only to have grief crack her open. When voicing sixteen-year-old Marah’s grief, Ericksen finds those subtle vocal tremors that make you feel the girl’s pain in your bones – it reminded me of hearing a mother in a small Mexican village sing a lullaby to her grieving child, that same raw authenticity.
Hannah’s exploration of mother-daughter relationships – between Tully and her estranged mother Dorothy, between Tully and Kate’s daughter Marah – cuts deep. As someone who’s collected family stories across continents, I recognized the universal ache in these relationships. The scene where Dorothy finally confronts her past had me recalling a conversation I once had with a Mayan healer about how we carry our ancestors’ wounds until we’re brave enough to heal them.
The audiobook’s greatest strength lies in how Ericksen handles Hannah’s emotional crescendos. There’s a particular scene where Tully reads Kate’s letters that devastated me as completely as standing before Frida Kahlo’s “Las Dos Fridas” for the first time. Ericksen doesn’t just read these words – she breathes life into them, her pacing allowing each emotional beat to land with perfect weight.
Some listeners might find the emotional intensity relentless – this isn’t a light listen for your morning commute. And while Ericksen’s performance is generally stellar, her male voices occasionally blend together. But these are minor quibbles in an otherwise extraordinary listening experience.
Compared to similar works like Jodi Picoult’s “My Sister’s Keeper” or Delia Owens’ “Where the Crawdads Sing”, “Fly Away” stands out for its unflinching look at how grief transforms us. Hannah doesn’t offer easy answers, much like those Oaxacan grandmothers knew life rarely provides them.
For those who’ve experienced loss, who’ve struggled with complicated family ties, or who simply appreciate masterful storytelling, this audiobook is essential listening. Best experienced with tissues nearby and perhaps a cup of the strong Mexican chocolate I’ve come to associate with soul-stirring stories.
With miles to go and stories yet to hear,
Marcus Rivera
