TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN

The author combines a story of a WWIII invasion with a romance among several teenage couples. Narrator Suzi Dougherty's voice has the raspy scratch of a heavy smoker and the accent of the Australian bush. She assumes the part of Ellie, a precocious student knocking on the door of adulthood who discovers that her town has been taken over by an unknown military. At first, Dougherty's fast pace and Australian vocabulary of wombats, wallabies, and roustabouts may leave American listeners spinning, but with a little time she comes into focus. Her delivery of the dialogue of Ellie's mates differentiates them more by their unique attitudes than by distinctive voices. Her narrative style and the author's adroit descriptions create more entertainment than the thin plot. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]