Narrator Tavia Gilbert’s earnest, forceful alto voice captures the warring emotions and heightened stakes in Alvie Fitz’s daily life. Between uncomfortable interactions with people who don’t understand her, rewarding encounters with animals in her work, and a budding friendship with a promising stranger, Alvie’s journey is complex, painful, and intense. Steiger blends first-person narration and flashbacks to gradually unveil her protagonists’ experiences, allowing their dark pasts to inform their current circumstances. Gilbert’s wide array of characterizations reveals the challenging and intricate world of this piece, and her pacing illuminates moments of calm and those of unease of rising panic. Gilbert also captures Alvie’s sadness and perseverance in equal measure, illuminating the hope in Steiger’s work.—AudioFile Magazine

Alvie Fitz had a traumatic childhood, finds it hard to relate to other people, and just wants to gain her emancipation. When her social worker suggests making a friend, Alvie makes an unlikely one in Stanley Finkle. Gilbert makes every voice distinct and powerful, emoting the devastation and heartbreak of these unforgettable characters.—Young Adult Library Services Association