The Rabbit Hutch

Gunty’s debut, which takes place in the crumbling city of Vacca Vale, IN, tells the story of four former foster kids who live in a rundown apartment building known as the Rabbit Hutch. Having aged out of the system, the teens are thrust into a world for which they are inadequately prepared. The main character is Blandine, who dropped out of high school and now spends her days reading philosophy and the writings of mystics such as Hildegarde of Bingen, which provide her with an escape from her bleak life. While Blandine’s story is the central focus, each chapter illustrates how the lives of the residents entwine, and how their struggles are both personal and communal. Set against a changing community and world, the novel is hauntingly narrated by a full cast, including the author, who is joined by Scott Brick, Suzanne Toren, Kirby Heyborne, and Kyla Garcia. Their combined voices enhance the novel’s dreamlike atmosphere, making listeners question what is real and what is not.