by Valeria Luiselli
Published 2019
The moving, powerful and urgent English-language debut from one of the brightest young stars in world literature. Suppose you and Pa were gone, and we were lost. What would happen then? A family in New York packs the car and sets out on a road trip. A mother, a father, a boy and a girl, they head south west, to the Apacheria, the regions of the US which used to be Mexico. They drive for hours through desert and mountains. They stop at diners when they're hungry and sleep in motels when it gets dark. The little girl tells surreal knock knock jokes and makes them all laugh. The little boy educates them all and corrects them when they're wrong. The mother and the father are barely speaking to each other. Meanwhile, thousands of children are journeying north, travelling to the US border from Central America and Mexico. A grandmother or aunt has packed a backpack for them, putting in a bible, one toy, some clean underwear. They have been met by a coyote: a man who speaks to them roughly and frightens them. They cross a river on rubber tubing and walk for days, saving whatever food and water they can. Then they climb to the top of a train and travel precariously in the open container on top. Not all of them will make it to the border. In a breath-taking feat of literary virtuosity, Lost Children Archive intertwines these two journeys to create a masterful novel full of echoes and reflections -- a moving, powerful, urgent story about what it is to be human in an inhuman world.
These are AI narrators you can listen to with your own EPUB on ElevenLabs or Fish Audio. How does it work?
Top voices for narrating this book
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“This voice's warm, articulate, and grounded quality with a steady cadence perfectly captures the mother's introspective and reflective narrative style.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Vespa offers a mature, deeply authentic tone with empathetic warmth, ideal for conveying the narrator's underlying empathy despite her weariness.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Serious
“Niki presents a smooth and natural delivery, suiting the narrator's serious and intellectual curiosity while maintaining a narrative presence.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Serious
“Lauren's controlled, slightly intense voice can embody the serious and often weary reflections on the humanitarian crisis, adding a layer of depth.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Husky
“The intimate, breathy quality and 'Storyteller's Gravel' of Ethereal Husk could perfectly articulate the raw, intimate nature of the mother's internal monologue.”
For listeners: use the Best Narrator voice above in ElevenReader or Fish Audio. Character casting is for authors producing audiobooks with studio tools.
A pragmatic and somewhat detached man, often in disagreement with his wife, his voice should convey intellect mixed with a sense of internal distance.
Male · Middle-Aged · Narration · Educational · Calm · Professional · +3 more
“This professional, measured male voice with a calm and serious tone aligns perfectly with the Father's pragmatic and somewhat detached personality.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Educational · Narration · Deep · Serious · +3 more
“Alhaitham's deep, measured pace conveys the intellectual quality and quiet seriousness fitting for a man often in disagreement with a sense of internal distance.”
American · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Calm
“Spartan's calm, grounded baritone and measured pacing would articulate the Father's steady, serious demeanor and reflective moments.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Narration · Educational · Calm · Professional · +3 more
“Elon's clear and professional delivery, combined with a serious and measured pace, suits the Father's intellectual approach and pragmatic stance.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Character-Voice · Narration · Deep · Calm · +3 more
“The deep, serious, and measured dramatic tone of Toji Fushiguro is well-suited for portraying the Father's intellectual depth and nuanced disagreements.”
A precocious and intelligent child, who often corrects adults and educates them, his voice should be clear and slightly formal for his age.
Male · Young · Medium · Conversational · Narration · Character-Voice · +56 more
“Gus provides a young male voice with clear articulation and a slightly calm, measured tone, which perfectly captures the precocious and intelligent nature of the little boy.”
Male · Young · Narration · Educational · Clear · Energetic · +14 more
“This voice is clear, bright, and expressive, fitting for a child who often educates adults and speaks with a slightly formal energy for his age.”
A playful and imaginative child who lightens the mood with surreal jokes, her voice should be energetic and innocent.
Female · Young · Conversational · Social-Media · Entertainment · Advertisement · +58 more
“Jazzzzzzzzz's youthful and energetic tone with a vibrant, conversational quality is an ideal match for the playful and imaginative Little Girl.”
Young · Character-Voice · Entertainment · Social-Media · Bright · Animated · +60 more
“Twilight Sparkle's bright, animated, and playful expressiveness beautifully captures the imaginative spirit and energetic innocence that lightens the mood.”
Female · Young · Conversational · Character-Voice · Social-Media · Educational · +47 more
“Manon Bannerman offers a youthful, conversational female voice that suits the character's general age and engaging personality.”
Female · Young · Conversational · Narration · Character-Voice · Social-Media · +48 more
“Sophia Laforteza presents a conversational and young voice, providing a gentle yet bright quality for the imaginative child's dialogue.”
A gruff and intimidating man who frightens the children he guides, his voice should convey harshness and authority.
Female · Young · Deep · Social-Media · Conversational · Medium · +57 more
“The deep, raspy texture and clear, dynamic delivery of this middle-aged male voice perfectly convey the Coyote's gruff, intimidating presence and harsh authority, essential despite the lack of a specific Spanish accent.”