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Digital Audiobook
Runtime: 8 hours, 33 minutes
Read by Gemma Whelan
So much has changed during this year of pandemic—and though we keep talking about what we’ll do when life returns to normal, it’s hard to say what that “normal” will look like. But in the exclusive audiobook Realer, author David Hewson imagines how the pandemic will shape our lives for years to come.
The story is set in a post-COVID world that’s been forever changed. Instead of venturing out into the uncertainty of outdoors, many people have turned to technology to cope—and the Realer has become their tech of choice. Using a hoodie and glasses, Realer allows people to venture out and interact with others without ever leaving the comfort of their own home. It’s a good alternative for 16-year-old Charlie Mackintosh—especially since she’s discovered the dangers lurking in the real world. But after she witnesses her father’s murder through her new hood, she finds herself moving between the real world and the Realer world to search for answers.
Post-pandemic life in this small, industrial British town is rather grim. Life is back to a kind of normal, though underlying fears and suspicions remain—and the economy has been forever changed. People are different, too—meaner, more closed-off. And at one point, Charlie perceptively asks her father if the pandemic made people worse or if we’re now just seeing them as they really are. And poor Charlie would know; she’s seen so much of the worst of people. Bullied for her solitary nature and her bright red hair, Charlie experiences first an attempted assault and then her father’s brutal murder. Though she’s come to fear the outside world, she eventually finds her strength with the help of her Realer. And it leads her to some shocking discoveries about her father—and about what Realer could become.
This eerie audiobook is definitely a timely read—and one that sometimes seems all too possible. At the same time, though, some of it does feel somewhat rushed, leaving a few too many questions about the plot and the device at its center. Some aspects feel a little too convenient. But despite its flaws, you may still find yourself lost in Charlie’s quest for answers.
For years to come, I’m sure our entertainment will be shaped by this unprecedented year. We’ll see movies and read books about life in—and after—a pandemic. But there’s something about this haunting post-COVID thriller that will keep you pressing Play, wondering how Charlie’s story will end—and if it’s a glimpse of things to come.
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