ONE MORE MOUNTAIN The Breadwinner, Book 5

Meera Simhan, narrator of the majority of Ellis's Breadwinner series, delivers the fifth installment. It takes place in 2021, twenty years after the initial book, when Parvana and Shauzia became heroines. Simhan's slight accent gives a sense of the Afghan setting. She infuses emotions into her otherwise neutral reading to show the terror of those who are experiencing the Taliban's resumption of power. The main part of the story involves 15-year-old Damsa, who has left a luxurious life to escape a forced marriage and ends up at a school run by Parvana. Other elements include the kindness of Parvana's loving husband and the fear and pluck of her son. Simhan reflects Parvana's continued courage, hope, and determination to help those around her who are suffering from the repressive regime. An apt update on the series and current conditions. S.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]