THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL

Gin Hammond narrates a dual story of Afghan girls kept out of school and imprisoned in their homes by cultural prohibitions. Her husky undertone evokes empathy for the girls, who are judged solely by their ability to make a good marriage and produce sons. Hammond’s soft delivery and gentle cadence keep listeners engaged as the girls struggle with ambitions that seem destined to elude them. Her tender treatment of the narrative contrasts effectively with the merciless society the girls grow up in. She shifts fluidly between the present day and the extended flashbacks to the life of an elder aunt, keeping the listener oriented between the two stories. M.R. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]