The Skunks, Fiona Warnick
The Skunks, Fiona Warnick
List: $34.99 | Sale: $24.50
Club: $17.49

The Skunks

Author: Fiona Warnick

Narrator: Mara Wilson

Unabridged: 4 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/07/2024


Synopsis

Dear Skunks, I wrote. Then I got stuck. What was there to say about the skunks? Of course there was the smell—the spraying. Everyone’s mind jumped to the spraying. I often forgot about the spraying entirely, which was nice because it made me feel that I wasn’t like other people. From the outside, Isabel doesn’t seem to have much going on. It’s the summer after college graduation, and she’s moved back to her hometown, where she spends her days house-sitting, babysitting, working the front desk at a yoga studio, and hanging out with her childhood friend Ellie. But on the inside, Isabel’s mind is always running, always analyzing, and right now, she’s trying hard to not let her thoughts give weight to boys. So when Isabel spots three baby skunks in the yard, their presence is not only a strangely thrilling break from the expected, it feels like a fortuitous sign from the universe. Skunks. That’s what she should be thinking about. As the summer unfolds, Isabel becomes increasingly preoccupied with the skunks, while also navigating her various jobs and an ambiguous relationship with Eli, the son of the couple she’s house-sitting for. In her own life and in the imagined inner lives of the skunks, Isabel ponders the nature of existence, love vs. infatuation, and the many small moments that make us animal, make us human. The Skunks is an unforgettable coming-of-age story about the complexities of crushes, desire, friendship, and modern life.

About Fiona Warnick

Fiona Warnick grew up in Western Massachusetts and holds a BA in Creative Writing from Oberlin College, where she won the Emma Howell Poetry Prize. She teaches preschool in Providence, RI.

About Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson is a professional writer, playwright, actor, narrator, and storyteller best known for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she regularly appears at live storytelling and comedy shows, including her own, What Are You Afraid Of?. A voice actor on the podcast Welcome to Night Vale, she maintains a blog, MaraWilsonWritesStuff.com, and her writing can be found on sites such as Jezebel, The Toast, and McSweeney’s.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Fiona on December 15, 2023

This is my own book and I’m giving it 5 extremely biased and subjective stars for my own gosh darn lifeblood, underboob sweat, and crocodile tears......more

Goodreads review by Selena on January 15, 2024

reading THE SKUNKS felt like giving my brain a bath. i felt clean. it was gentle, soothing, sweet, & oh so fresh. in THE SKUNKS, there’s really no plot, but many many quiet, tender, and reflective vibes- and i just really loved it. isabel is back home after just graduating college. she is spending h......more

Goodreads review by Jan on November 28, 2024

nature doc but make it existential lit fic......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on April 01, 2024

i finished the skunks last night and it just completely changed my life and my brain and will be nesting in my heart forever and ever. i still dont have all the words there are to say about this one, i just know it's a book i'll always want to have under my arm to share in the world with me as i see......more

Goodreads review by Ellie on June 17, 2024

To be honest, I wrote out what I considered to be a pretty epic review and just as I was ready to push “done” it all deleted on me. So here’s my begrudging attempt to rewrite it… TLDR: This book is clearly written by a recent graduate of Oberlin who had their bisexual awakening amongst the turquoise......more


Quotes

"Mara Wilson gives a charming, thoughtful performance of this contemporary novel. ilson’s clear, bright voice suits Isabel’s youth and curiosity, and brings warmth and tenderness to the skunks’ view of the natural world. As Isabel settles into a routine, she becomes more fascinated with them. Wilson’s tender and reflective narration prompts listeners to slow down and be observers." - Audiofile Magazine