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I’ve recently heard chatter from friends and the internet alike that audiobooks shouldn’t count as “real reading.” I’ve heard arguments including the semantics of the word “reading” as well as talk that audiobooks don’t support comprehension and literacy. So, while everyone else seems to be comfortably seated on their high horses, I’m ready to get down and dirty in the defence of the medium.
To start us off, let’s learn a titch of neurobiology: According to Dr. Nadine Gabb, as discussed in the Harvard Gazette, listening to audiobooks activates most—if not all—of the same neural networks that traditional reading does. Put simply, systems such as language processing and sound processing are engaged whether you choose audiobooks or physical texts.
Now how about some social science: Audiobooks are amazing for accessibility purposes. They can be a great option for those with physical impairments who may have struggles with holding books or turning pages. Audiobooks can also be amazing for those with learning challenges such as dyslexia or ADHD. If that wasn’t enough, audiobooks can be an amazing step for those in the process of learning a new language.
Finally, let’s get into my wealth of feelings: As a busy student trying to juggle work, school, volunteering, extra-curriculars, and an unremarkable social life, I often don’t have much time to sit down and read like I used to. After discovering audiobooks, reading on the go has never been easier. Now, I read on my commutes, I read on my runs, and I even read in the grocery store. Beyond the convenience, I also like the additional world-building incorporated into audiobooks. Things like different voices and sound effects help draw me further into the story and support my (less than mediocre) attention span.
If my arguments have swayed any of you audiobook skeptics, here are some of my favourite audiobooks that I’ve read in the past year. All listened to for free through the public library app Libby (seriously everyone, get Libby. I love it!).
Content Warning: misogyny, eating disorder, body horror, drowning, stalking
Personal Rating: 4.5 — Goodreads Rating: 3.22
A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan follows a couple, Alecia and Remy, whose relationship is fueled by sexual fantasies about Remy’s former co-worker Jen. Things take a turn for the unexpected when the couple happens to run into Jen, who invites them on a surf trip to the Hamptons.
What I loved most about this book is how the first two-thirds make you think you know exactly where the story is going, only for the final third to completely derail (in the best way possible). It’s funny and unique, with a dramatic third-act shift in both storyline and genre. My experience was even further enhanced by the way the audiobook’s narrator shifted in tone and pacing. If you like unlikeable, untrustworthy characters, A Touch of Jen is the book for you.
Content Warning: sexual assault, child abuse, incest, murder, cannibalism
Personal Rating: 4.5 — Goodreads Rating: 3.60
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata follows the life and perspective of Natsuki. As a way of coping with the horrific trauma she experiences as a child, Natsuki convinces herself that she’s actually an alien from the distant planet Popinpobopia. On the surface, Earthlings is really funny and strange, but underneath, it’s deeply tragic. The novel explores themes of how trauma can follow us throughout our lives and the ways children create their own worlds to protect themselves from the things they can’t comprehend.
I really can’t recommend this book enough. Following Natsuki from childhood into adulthood made the story feel incredibly immersive, and I loved how the narrator’s inflection and tone changed as Natsuki aged. It added so much to the story and made it even easier to get pulled into the world.
Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen
Content Warning: body horror, death, homophobia, racism
Personal Rating: 4.0 — Goodreads Rating: 3.47
Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen follows the final four contestants of a Bachelor-esque dating show as they travel to a remote island in the Pacific Northwest. In their journey to win the Bachelor’s heart, or should I say the hearts of the show’s millions of fans, they find themselves facing a dark shadow lurking in the woods.
Listening to this audiobook truly felt like watching reality television; I even binged the whole 6.5 hours in just two sittings. The perspective alternates between the four women and the producer of the show. But, through the audiobook, you get to learn everyone’s distinctive voices and mannerisms. Funny, unique, and kind of creepy, Patricia Wants to Cuddle will pull you in and not let you go.
Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
Content Warning: emotional abuse, suicide, grief, murder, cannibalism
Personal Rating: 3.75 — Goodreads Rating: 3.57
Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth follows Ralph and Abby Lamb as they move in with Ralph’s mentally ill mother, Laura. Abby hopes it’ll only be temporary, especially since Laura is ruthlessly cruel to her. But when Laura takes her own life, Abby is left to figure out how to free herself and Ralph from the ghost of her mother-in-law before it’s too late.
This novel was my first introduction to the world of audiobooks, and it completely solidified their place in my book rotation. I loved how it explores the complicated dynamics of family relationships and the many different forms toxicity can take. Somehow hilarious despite the dark subject material, Motherthing kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last second.
At the end of the day, whether you prefer your books to be paperbacks, hardcovers, ebooks, or audiobooks, I don’t give a damn! Just get out there and read (or should I say, listen)!