Good Morning, Midnight: A Novel

Written by:
Lily Brooks-Dalton
Narrated by:
John H. Mayer , Hillary Huber

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
4
Narrator
2
Release Date
August 2016
Duration
8 hours 40 minutes
Summary
“A remarkable and gifted debut novel” (Colson Whitehead) about two outsiders—a lonely scientist in the Arctic and an astronaut trying to return to Earth—as they grapple with love, regret, and survival in a world transformed. 

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM THE MIDNIGHT SKY, DIRECTED BY AND STARRING GEORGE CLOONEY

Augustine, a brilliant, aging astronomer, is consumed by the stars. For years he has lived in remote outposts, studying the sky for evidence of how the universe began. At his latest posting, in a research center in the Arctic, news of a catastrophic event arrives. The scientists are forced to evacuate, but Augustine stubbornly refuses to abandon his work. Shortly after the others have gone, Augustine discovers a mysterious child, Iris, and realizes that the airwaves have gone silent. They are alone.

At the same time, Mission Specialist Sullivan is aboard the Aether on its return flight from Jupiter. The astronauts are the first human beings to delve this deep into space, and Sully has made peace with the sacrifices required of her: a daughter left behind, a marriage ended. So far the journey has been a success. But when Mission Control falls inexplicably silent, Sully and her crewmates are forced to wonder if they will ever get home.

As Augustine and Sully each face an uncertain future against forbidding yet beautiful landscapes, their stories gradually intertwine in a profound and unexpected conclusion. In crystalline prose, Good Morning, Midnight poses the most important questions: What endures at the end of the world? How do we make sense of our lives? Lily Brooks-Dalton’s captivating debut is a meditation on the power of love and the bravery of the human heart.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SHELF AWARENESS AND THE CHICAGO REVIEW OF BOOKS

“Stunningly gorgeous . . . The book contemplates the biggest questions—What is left at the end of the world? What is the impact of a life’s work?”—Portland Mercury 

“A beautifully written, sparse post-apocalyptic novel that explores memory, loss and identity . . . Fans of Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven and Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora will appreciate the Brooks-Dalton’s exquisite exploration of relationships in extreme environments.”—The Washington Post
Reviews
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Susan V.

It was a cute little tale. It didn’t ring any bells for me, but it was an easy, quick read. I do love my apocalyptica fiction and this is an interesting take on it. Something big and horrible has gone catastrophically wrong on Earth and who knows if anyone will survive. But Augustine, a world-renowned astronomer, has decided to stay at the outpost in the Arctic as he has no one to go be with for what might very well be the end of the world. It’s a really small cast of characters so the plot held few surprises for me. There’s a little bit of a mystery with the child Iris showing up at the Arctic outpost. Later, there’s a polar bear that follows Augustine on his trek. In space, there’s the tiny crew of the Aether, including Sully (who has the most contact with Augie over the radio). Without giving away anything, there were moments that were supposed to be important reveals but I had guessed where the story was going long before. So there was no suspense. The ending for me was a let down. Nothing is fully resolved. We never learn what exactly has caused this catastrophe nor what happens with our main characters. 3/5 stars. The Narration: John H. Mayer and Hillary Huber were a good match for this story. I did like Huber’s narration a bit more because she got to voice more characters, showing off her skills. The character cast was small and both narrators did them justice. The pacing was good and there were no tech issues with the recording. 5/5 stars.

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