REMEMBER ME

Corrie James reads this tale of remembrance and abandonment with an odd mix of cynicism and wonder, an appropriate blend to set the tone as main character Winnie looks back on her difficult life. As homeless Winnie attempts to track down the fate of her few stolen belongings, she recounts how each item came into her possession. James alters her voice subtly, giving the young Winnie an optimistic wistfulness, while making the older Winnie sound as wizened and bitter as she has become. The inflections are so subtle, however, and the flashbacks so frequent, that it's easy confuse timing in the book. The novel itself gets off to a slow start, also matched by James's reading, but as the story line picks up, so does James's performance, making the surprise ending worth waiting for. H.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]