SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE

Three talented narrators portray three women whose stories draw the listener into this mystery. Sylvie Lee disappears while she is visiting Holland to be with her dying grandmother. Narrator Angela Lin portrays Sylvie, and Samantha Quan her younger sister, Amy; both capture the characters' individual personalities as presented by Kwok. However, Caroline McLaughlin's performance as their mother has no accent--even though the daughters refer more than once to her challenges with English, an inconsistency that is jarring to the listener. Kwok takes on many serious issues including the immigrant experience, sexism, and dysfunctional family relationships. She provides texture to her story with aphorisms, rich descriptions, and slowly unwinding reveals. Listeners will appreciate the insights but may find the ending a bit far-fetched. E.Q. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019]