The Listening

by Nathan Harris

First published 2017

Mabey's mother has died, leaving her to spend afternoons at Papa's junkyard while he works among the scrapped cars and metal. The girl tries to adjust to this new routine when a man called Aggy arrives with threatening words aimed at Papa. Mabey listens but cannot grasp what Aggy means or why his presence fills the air with tension. She watches Papa's reactions and tries to piece together the danger that seems to circle their small world. The junkyard becomes a place where Mabey must confront feelings she has never experienced before. She learns about the complexities of human relationships while grieving her mother's absence. The story follows her journey through confusion and fear toward understanding. Harris crafts a tale that centers on a child's perspective as she encounters the adult world's harsh realities and discovers her own capacity for forgiveness.

Genres: fiction, family-life, grief, contemporary

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: found-family, grief

Setting: Junkyard

MP3 CD · Audible Studios on Brilliance Audio

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