WHAT WE WERE PROMISED

Narrator Jennifer Lim has fun with the character of Sunny, an opinionated housemaid who works for a series of contemporary Chinese families. Listeners follow Sunny to her first employer when her family ousts her to make room for her brother's child. Her story continues when she moves from employer to employer. Lim's narration is arch, sardonic, and swiftly paced. These qualities highlight the humor laced throughout the novel, especially when it zooms in on Sunny's time with the Zhen family. With her lively performance, Lim places Sunny's hopes and aspirations center stage, illuminating their stark contrast with Sunny's status as a working-class single woman. There are a number of other female characters, and Lim makes them as familiar as our own friends. M.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2018]