Audio Review: Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

Title: Sisterland
Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
Narrator: Rebecca Lowman

Publication: June 25, 2013

Publisher: Random House Audio
Source: Library

Genre: Women's Fiction, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: 14 hours 59 minutes
Format: Unabridged Audio

Audience: 17+

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Synopsis: Curtis Sittenfeld, New York Times bestselling author of American Wife and Prep, returns with a mesmerizing novel of family and identity, loyalty and deception, and the delicate line between truth and belief. 

From an early age, Kate and her identical twin sister, Violet, knew that they were unlike everyone else. Kate and Vi were born with peculiar “senses”—innate psychic abilities concerning future events and other people’s secrets. Though Vi embraced her visions, Kate did her best to hide them. 

Now, years later, their different paths have led them both back to their hometown of St. Louis. Vi has pursued an eccentric career as a psychic medium, while Kate, a devoted wife and mother, has settled down in the suburbs to raise her two young children. But when a minor earthquake hits in the middle of the night, the normal life Kate has always wished for begins to shift. After Vi goes on television to share a premonition that another, more devastating earthquake will soon hit the St. Louis area, Kate is mortified. Equally troubling, however, is her fear that Vi may be right. As the date of the predicted earthquake quickly approaches, Kate is forced to reconcile her fraught relationship with her sister and to face truths about herself she’s long tried to deny. 

Funny, haunting, and thought-provoking, Sisterland is a beautifully written novel of the obligation we have toward others, and the responsibility we take for ourselves. With her deep empathy, keen wisdom, and unerring talent for finding the extraordinary moments in our everyday lives, Curtis Sittenfeld is one of the most exceptional voices in literary fiction today.

My Thoughts: I loved this story. Twin sisters with physic abilities and how they cope with said abilities drew me in. I am glad that I listened to this as the beginning was a little slow. Now that I have experienced this book I will probably go back and read it. Once the story picked up it was good and juicy. 

The story is told from Kate's point of view. It was easy for me to connect with Kate as we seem to have similar personalities. Kate's devotion to her family is something I can relate to. I completely understand how becoming a parent changes how you view and are perceived by the world. I laughed many times and experienced one jaw dropping moment. The only thing has to do with the audio. It was difficult to determine when past experiences were being talked about. It is probably easier to tell with the physical text as there is probably some sort of visual differentiation between the past and present. 

This is a single voiced unabridged production. Rebecca Lowman is a great narrator and I enjoy listening to books she narrates. She makes each character real. Lowman differentiation between each character is distinct. The original material lends itself well to audio presentation. A steady pace is maintained throughout the production.