The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-250-29751-8 $17.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-250-29752-5 $9.99
Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 9-12
When sixteen-year-old star football player Caleb Michaels develops an empath’s power to feel others’ emotions, his parents send him to see Dr. Bright, a therapist [End Page 39] who specializes in the treatment of Atypicals like Caleb. Caleb feels a connection with moody overachiever Adam Hayes, but Adam initially wonders if this sudden attention from the adorable, popular jock isn’t part of an elaborate joke. Soon unexpected friendship turns to even more unexpected love, but outside forces, including a shadowy agency that uses Atypicals for military experiments, gradually emerge to threaten this budding romance. Building on popular podcast The Bright Sessions, this cross-platform, dual-narrator novel offers up charming romance with hints of a broader science fiction–infused world. Familiarity with the podcast is in no way required, but readers acquainted with the source content will appreciate the occasional overlaps, which function more as Easter eggs than spoilers. Both narrators indulge in a fair bit of navel-gazing, but that only contributes to the story’s overall sincerity. A swift turn from sweetness to suspense near novel’s end may feel sudden for the uninitiated, but hints early on lay useful groundwork and plant seeds for planned sequels with other Bright Sessions characters. This is a perfect what’s next for fans of Rowell’s Carry On or Levithan’s Boy Meets Boy (BCCB 9/03).
