After a massive earthquake and dam collapse and flood Eugene, Oregon, 15-year-old Cielo, an undocumented teen living with her mom, is left behind in the chaos. She chooses not to evacuate with the National Guard, determined to find her missing mother on her own.
But survival isn’t simple in the drowned city. Cielo must steer clear of the Repo Men, a dangerous right-wing militia exploiting the disaster and stay under the radar after barely surviving an attack by one of them. Now, she’s in military custody, accused of committing a bloody massacre. The problem? She has no idea who she can trust.
When they describe audio dramas as “movies for your ears”, this show is exactly what they mean. The audio production and acting are both excellent, and they will immerse you in the narrative immediately. On top of that, the story of young Cielo as she tries to survive in this post-disaster city is deeply captivating. I loved her as a character. She is brave, capable, and stubborn, but also vulnerable, as is to be expected of a teen who just went through many horrible experiences.
This pod is quite different from what I usually recommend here, as it is an adaptation of a book. But I think the way this story was written lends itself perfectly to the audio drama format and makes for a really interesting end product.
American Afterlife’s first season is complete, with six 20 minute episodes ready for you to binge.
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