Birdland

I’ll admit, I approached *Birdland* skeptical of yet another ‘teen-with-a-camera’ premise, but Mack’s writing and Dion Graham’s performance won me over within minutes. Graham’s narration is a masterclass in restraint—he doesn’t overplay Jed’s anger or Flyer’s stoicism, letting the silence between lines carry as much weight as the words. The scenes where the boys interview neighbors about gentrification crackle with tension, and Graham’s ability to voice a spectrum of ages and accents (from Jed’s weary mom to a grizzled bodega owner) adds layers to the worldbuilding. That said, the audiobook isn’t without flaws. The pacing stumbles in the second act when the documentary subplot takes a backseat to Jed’s family drama; the shift feels abrupt, and Graham’s delivery can’t fully smooth the transition. I also wished for more textual cues to distinguish between the boys’ filmed interviews and their private conversations—at times, the audio alone makes it hard to track whose perspective we’re in. Still, the final act’s emotional gut-punch (delivered with devastating quiet by Graham) makes up for the uneven middle. This is a listen for those who appreciate stories where the city itself is a character, and where hope isn’t handed out—it’s fought for.