BOG CHILD

Siobhan Dowd's gem of a story is set amid the violent period of 1980s Ireland. Digging for peat in a bog, Fergus McCann, 18, and his Uncle Tally discover a child's body, believed to be 2,000 years old. The child, a girl Fergus names Mel, reveals her story in Fergus's dreams. Sile Bermingham's high-pitched voice has a dreamy quality that is not a good match for this male coming-of-age story. Bermingham’s Fergus sounds like a pre-pubescent boy, rather than a young man on the verge of adulthood who is trying to make sense out of the crazy world around him. Further, Bermingham's slow pacing diminishes the mood of this haunting and suspenseful story. This production would be more engaging if it were narrated by a man. L.A.C. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2009]