THE RED CAR

Leah's former boss and mentor, Judy, dies unexpectedly and leaves Leah her red sports car, spurring Leah on a journey of self-discovery. Narrator Soneela Nankani portrays Leah as disconnected from the real world, floating from moment to moment with passive confusion. Her performance highlights Leah's denial of her failing marriage and faltering career. In contrast, Judy, in flashbacks and in Leah's memory, speaks in a confident, throaty contralto. Leah travels cross-country to attend Judy's funeral and spends the following weeks in San Francisco, making a series of irresponsible, spur-of-the-moment choices in an effort to avoid conflict. Minimal distinctions in the voices of secondary characters reflect Leah's self-centered experience of the world and highlight her slowly developing ability to take control of her life. E.C. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2017]