The Speed of Light

By: Elizabeth Rosner

Narrated by: Elizabeth Rosner, Ana Clements, Craig Van Ness

Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Every family has a story. Every story, eventually, must be told.

For most of their lives, Julian Perel and his sister, Paula, lived in a house cast in silence, witnesses to a father struggling with a devastating secret too painful to share. Though their father took his demons to the grave, his past refuses to rest. As adults, brother and sister struggle to find their voices. A scientist governed by numbers and logic, Julian now lives an ordered life of routine and seclusion. In contrast, Paula has entered the world as eagerly as Julian retracts from it. An aspiring opera singer, she is always moving, buoyant with sound. Yet both their lives begin to change on a Wednesday, miercoles, the day that sounds like miracles.

Before embarking on a European opera tour, Paula asks her housekeeper, Sola, to stay at her place—and to look after Julian in the apartment above. Sola, too, has a story. As Paula uncovers pieces of her father's early life in Budapest and the horrifying truth of his past, Julian bears witness to Sola's story—revelations that help all three learn how to both surrender and revere the shadows that have followed them for so long.

The Speed of Light is a powerful novel about three unforgettable souls who overcome the tragedies of the past to reconnect with one another and the world around them. Elizabeth Rosner has created a beautifully interwoven story of love and redemption that proves the pain of the untold story is far greater than even the most difficult truth.

©2001 Elizabeth Rosner (P)2022 Elizabeth Rosner

The Shadows We Leave Our Children

I love this book and this author. The meditation on grief and trauma, the effect it has on the world and the people around us, the heaviness of regret, and the joy and exhilaration that comes from moving through those dark feelings are all covered in this story with these characters. There's a real moment of exhalation in this book, and that turning point, that breath of fresh air is palpable thanks to the authors skill.

Wonderful novel 

Rosner elegantly weaves together this profound narrative that follows three richly constructed characters as they grapple with trauma, both experienced and inherited. It's no surprise that this terrific novel won multiple awards and was translated into 9 languages. The audiobook has three different narrators, which makes it easy for the listener to follow the shifts in perspective. Highly recommend!

My Favorite Story (Review by Wife, Jordyn)

It is not an exaggeration to say that I read A LOT from several different genres, and this has been my favorite book since it was gifted to me by a friend my junior year of college. When I learned it was now available as an audiobook, I jumped in it. I must admit, at first I was startled by the narration. Reading brings the book inside your imagination but somehow, you expect that if the characters were real, they would sound exactly how you imagined. Paula was the only one who sounded as I expected, but I soon realized that these narrations fit the characters well. I listened to this novel slowly because unlike other audiobooks, I didn't want to risk missing things of I multitasked. I rewound several times to listen to my favorite parts over and over again. Since my first experience with this book, I have planned to get a tattoo inspired by it's pages. It only makes sense because I think about these characters constantly, they should live on my skin as well. Should I get "Miercoles, the day that sounds like Miracles," or should I get a yellow lemon that says "Your friend"? I still can't decide. I advice you to not multitask as you listen to this book. Just sit there and be a witness to the story. I could talk about this book forever, but I don't want to ruin anything for first-time readers/listeners. I will just say I've never read a book as poetic as this one. It's quiet yet loud, real but magical.