The only way to know the truth about a story is hearing it from all the characters involved.

When You Finish Saving the World is an Audible Original Story written, produced, and narrated by Jesse Eisenberg, and you can tell he is the one behind this story. This audio production goes around a family and its three members. Nathan, the father, who has difficulties with social, personal, and emotional interactions. Ziggy, his only song, who lives in a really close future finding how he is connected to his parents, and Rachel, the mother, who lives in the past before this story beginnings.

The time line in the story is present, future, and past, and I am happy that this was the order, as I find it incredibly difficult to connect with the “past” or Rachel’s story. If the idea was to create this clinging college student who feels superior to the rest of the world and looks everybody over her shoulder, then mission accomplished. I don’t feel any pity or any connection with this character… In fact, I find her terribly annoying and unfair.

Nathan at least has a psychological and probably neurological excuse for the struggles with affection. I was able to connect with him as I honestly see him as the victim in his marriage and how he tries so hard and he is so in love although his wife seems to hate him. (Because she clearly moved on with her life although she didn’t want to do so!)

Ziggy was just a regular teenager who’s mother never approved anything of what he was doing to succeed, and probably saw him as a capitalist pig? Ziggy who is the clear image of his dad and inherited his mother’s hate toward him as well.

The story is entertaining and worth listening to! The performance of the three narrators is incredible! However, I have to commit that the story didn’t quite have a strong ending, and it kind of ended in nothing. For me, when I reached the ending I felt like the audiobook didn’t quite have a purpose. I don’t have much to take from this book besides the need to be more empathetic with those around you and to keep in mind that we shouldn’t move on with our lives unless we are ready to leave what bind us behind.

When You Finish Saving the World is an intimate trip into the minds of very complex characters who are trying to find ways on how to save their own worlds.