EVERLASTING NORA

Amielynn Abellera exuberantly narrates the story of 12-year-old Nora, who lives in a most unlikely place--a vast shantytown perched atop graves in Manila's North Cemetery. Nora and her mother live hand-to-mouth, taking in laundry and selling daisy chains. When her mother goes missing, Nora frantically searches for her, and in the process, she discovers more friends and family than she could have imagined. Abellera adds zest to the story, peppering it with luscious descriptions of Filipino delicacies that contrast sharply with the gritty and desperate reality of cemetery life. Abellera's male voices are somewhat forced, but listeners will be utterly seduced by her depiction of tender and tenacious Nora, who reminds us that hope can be found amid even the most wretched conditions. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2018]