From Publishers Weekly
Before Nadine has fully recovered from an assault that left her hospitalized, she is already on a plane to South Africa. As luck would have it, she flies the same flight as two parents who are to appear in front of a tribunal created in the postapartheid era to reconsider the crimes of political criminals. Their testimony will decide the fate of a young woman who was involved in the murder of their son, Jason. A hard news journalist, Nadine wants the scoop, but returning to South Africa will bring up some dark memories from her past. Lee's narration proves to be the best part of this audiobook. Her soft and smooth voice captures and improves the emotion and energy of the book. Her accents and different vocal characterizations are also impressive and consistent. While she will seduce listeners, her skill won't necessarily improve the story, which feels hackneyed and forced. Though Ward provides an intriguing look at the issue of recovery in postapartheid South Africa, her protagonist's personal journey proves clichéd and counterintuitive to the politics of the story. Simultaneous release with the Random House hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 30).
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--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
From AudioFile
What might have been an interesting novel about a young American woman reporter who travels to South Africa at the height of the apartheid struggles and then returns ten years later to cover the reconciliation testimonies quickly unfurls into a narrow, self-pitying saga. Nearly half the novel is finished, with the story trivial at best, before Nadine decides to return. Anne Marie Lees narration is adequate, but this book could have been greatly helped by a male voice reading the journals of the murdered boy, who one expects to be the center of attention. Instead, Jasons words greatly resemble the feminine whine used to recount Nadines childhood. Overall, the main character is so unsympathetic that this book is not enjoyable. R.R. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
