Audiobook Reviews: Stuck in Neutral & Life Happens Next by Terry Trueman

Stuck in Neutral

Author: Terry Trueman

Narrator: Johnny Heller

Reading Level: YA

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Run-time: 2 hrs 36 mins

Released: July 24th 2012

Review Source: Harper Audio

Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Shawn McDaniel's life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle—he can't even move his eyes. For all Shawn's father knows, his son may be suffering. Shawn may want a release. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger.

To the world, Shawn's senses seem dead. Within these pages, however, we meet a side of him that no one else has seen—a spirit that is rich beyond imagining, breathing life.

This audiobook is narrated by Johnny Heller. Although I liked the way he narrated, I felt that his voice was more suitable for Shawn’s father than for Shawn. He does however not miss a beat when he reads. If a character should sound confused or sad or happy or angry, he carries the emotions through his reading allowing the listener to feel the emotion.

This story was a little hard for me to get through at first. I found myself battling with the entire scenario. Shawn McDaniel the main character of this story is wheelchair bound and has absolutely no control over his physical body. He can see, hear and think but he can’t move a muscle and to everyone around him he is a vegetable.

At first I was not sure I could get through this story even though it was very short. Some of the author’s word choices seemed harsh at times. I got used to it and its political un-correctness became less of a shock as the story went on.

Shawn’s parents are separated because of the strain his condition put on their marriage. His father an award winning author, for writing a book about his son Shawn and his disability, feels that his son is constantly suffering. Shawn has seizures and to his father they appear to be the most painful experience and his heart breaks for his son and what he perceives to be his tortured existence. Hearing the story through Shawn’s mind you realize that he is actually pretty funny and quite enjoys his seizures as they allow him to escape his body and wander freely. He also has an amazing memory. Shawn can remember everything he has ever heard. Almost like he has a tape recorder embedded in his brain. Unfortunately this story ends on a very intense note. Shawn’s father wants to ends Shawn’s life in order to end his suffering and the story just kind of ends leaving the reader wondering about what happened to Shawn and whether or not his father went through with it. On a high note, there is a sequel to this book, Life Happens Next. I can’t wait to find out how this plays out.

Life Happens Next
Author: Terry Trueman
Narrator: Johnny Heller
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Run-time: 2 hrs 54 mins
Released: August 21 2012
Review Source: Harper Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Stuck in Neutral, a Printz Honor Book, introduced the world to Shawn McDaniel, a fourteen-year-old kid with cerebral palsy. But what happens next?

Shawn's got a new perspective on life. But no one has a clue. That's because they can see only his wheelchair, his limp body, his drool. What they don't see? His brain, with perfect auditory memory. And his heart, which is in love with a girl. And his fierce belief that someday someone will realize there's way more to him than his appearance.

How do you connect with others when you can't talk, walk, or even wave hello? In the sequel to Stuck in Neutral, which ALA Booklist called "an intense reading experience," Shawn McDaniel discovers a new definition of "normal" and finds that life happens next for everyone.

This audiobook is narrated by Johnny Heller. Again, I liked the way he narrated, but I wish there had been a little more variety in his character voice changes. Overall, Mr. Heller did quite well getting the emotion of the book across in the audio.

The sequel to Stuck In Neutral was so much easier for me to get through. I felt so much more at ease with Shawn’s condition and the events that took place in this story. It was sweet to hear his thoughts when he was telling us about the girl he loves and to see the new annoying dog that could sense when Shawn was going to have a seizure. I was a little unsure how this would play out when new characters were brought into this story, especially one with down syndrome, but to my surprise it was a wonderful combination. There was a point in this story that I was so relieved for Shawn that I cried. This story left me with a spark of hope for Shawn and his future. So much happens in this book it’s hard to write a review and not give anything away but I will say it is worth reading. Even if you had a hard time with Stuck in Neutral, Life Happens Next will make up for it.