Down and Across

About This Audiobook

Scott Ferdowsi isn’t the kind of protagonist who leaps tall expectations in a single bound—in fact, he’s more likely to trip over them. Entering his senior year, Scott’s best friends have already locked down their futures—med school, coding startups, or Ivy League dreams—while he’s stuck in a loop of half-formed aspirations and full-blown avoidance. When a chance encounter with a stranger’s cryptic advice about solving the word jigsaw puzzle of his life sets him off on a spontaneous cross-country trip, Scott’s reluctant journey becomes less about finding answers and more about learning to ask the right questions. Arvin Ahmadi’s debut is a sharp, earnest exploration of ambition, identity, and the absurdity of pretending to have your life figured out before you’re even legal to vote.

What makes this audiobook a standout is its refusal to romanticize the coming-of-age experience. Scott isn��t a brooding genius or a lovable screw-up; he’s a realistically messy teen whose fear of failure masquerades as laziness. The humor isn’t forced—it’s born from Scott’s dry, self-deprecating observations, his awkward social misfires, and the sheer ridiculousness of his quest. Ahmadi’s writing balances introspection with levity, and Assaf Cohen’s narration amplifies this perfectly, shifting seamlessly between Scott’s inner monologue and the chaotic energy of his interactions. Cohen nails the tone, whether he’s voicing Scott’s sarcastic best friend or the bewildered strangers Scott bumbles into, making the audiobook feel like eavesdropping on a surprisingly profound conversation at 2 AM.