Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Half Light  By  cover art

Half Light

By: Tayari Jones
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $14.95

Buy for $14.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Interview: Tayari Jones Proves Good Drama Doesn't Need Trauma in 'Half Light'

'...as a reader, as a listener, we all would appreciate a moment to exit what we're dealing with right now.'
-0.00
  • Half Light
  • '...as a reader, as a listener, we all would appreciate a moment to exit what we're dealing with right now.'

About the Creator

Tayari Jones is the author of four novels, most recently An American Marriage. Published in 2018, An American Marriage is an Oprah’s Book Club Selection and also appeared on Barack Obama’s summer reading list as well as his year-end roundup. The novel was awarded the Women’s Prize for Fiction (formerly known as the Orange Prize), Aspen Words Prize and an NAACP Image Award. It has been published in two dozen countries. Jones, a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, has also been a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, United States Artist Fellowship, NEA Fellowship, and Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship. Her third novel, Silver Sparrow, was added to the NEA Big Read Library of classics in 2016.
Jones is a graduate of Spelman College, University of Iowa, and Arizona State University. She is an Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University and the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Creative Writing at Emory University.

About the Performer

Bahni Turpin is a Los Angeles-based actress with many television and film credits in addition to being an award winning narrator. She is honored to have been awarded an Audie for Best Female Narrator, 2015, Audible Narrator of the Year, 2016, and American Library Association’s Voice of Choice for 2017. In 2018, Bahni won best female narration again, and was also inducted into the Audible Hall of Fame. She is a two-time Odyssey Award winner, and was also named as one of Audiophile's Golden Voices for 2019.

Featured Article: Must-Hear Contemporary Black Women Authors


It’s a fact that a high percentage of the best books that have come out in this century have been written by Black women authors. (Truth be told, there are so many excellent works that this list could simply centered on the best contemporary authors and still be accurate.) Nevertheless, Black women’s stories deserve to be heard, and when the stories are this compelling, this engaging, and this beautifully written, they’re impossible to ignore.

What listeners say about Half Light

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,622
  • 4 Stars
    1,037
  • 3 Stars
    451
  • 2 Stars
    105
  • 1 Stars
    40
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,871
  • 4 Stars
    657
  • 3 Stars
    236
  • 2 Stars
    36
  • 1 Stars
    25
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,275
  • 4 Stars
    919
  • 3 Stars
    453
  • 2 Stars
    99
  • 1 Stars
    53

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

BEAUTIFULLY DONE

This story was so beautifully done. I only wish it was longer. The dynamic between the sisters was well developed and inspired. Made me wish I was a twin.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lighter than 'An American Marriage'

I really liked this story, but I think I just mostly like the way the author writes. She has a way of drawing me in, and her stories are realistic - messy and emotional.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

engaging!

I really enjoyed this story it was very engaging and the comedy was spot-on without taking away from the heartfelt moments. I like the storyline and the characters felt very real for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Love the story and performance! A quick story in less than 2 hours. Heartwarming story of sisters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Loved Loved Loved the Performance

This short, two days to and from work listen, was fun, funny, touching and the best narration of any audible book yet.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

nice story, perfect narration.

this was a nice listen. not sure if I read it I would of cared, or remembered. I may re-listen because the narrator kept me engaged. skirting because I vaguely remember the story now that it's over. quick listen, enjoy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Refreshing and enjoyable

Very entertaining. Especially liked how the author described yhe similarities of twins
The performance enhanced the story .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Listened because it was short and I

Had just a little time to fill with a book. Loved the narrators voice. The story was very short but packed a lot in. I really enjoyed the characters and found the story really interesting. Excellent read for my Sunday evening at work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Nice story

I do love to listen to a black woman talk with a southern accent. Ms. Turpin sorted out the characters subtly but clearly. Excellent. The story was entertaining, charming. No need for foul language, though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Delightful Vignette!

What a gem of writing and narration! I found delight many times in this well-written, satisfying, colorful, rich short story that was able to encompass so very much!
As always, Bahni Turpin brings her warmth, savvy timing and just-right inflections, humor, sense of irony and sincerity to her reading, enfolding you with her, offering you the entirety of the author’s intentions.
Great combo of Tayari Jones and Bahni Turpin — and, Audible production talents. Thanks, All!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!