ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS

Stiefvater’s dreamy novel has a huge cast of characters, and narrator Thom Rivera gives each one a distinct voice. In 1962, a disc jockey fleeing fame and a teenage hitchhiker with a hole in his heart arrive in Bicho Raro, a tiny desert town where a family of Mexican-American saints offers miracles to those who need them. Rivera’s female voices are not as smooth or natural as his voices for the male characters, but they are clear and distinguishable. His use of a Chicano accent grounds the Soria family’s Mexican heritage, and his excellent pacing conveys the emotion in the story’s mythic moments. Stiefvater’s many fans will find this an engaging and moving listen. E.C. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]