ONCE UPON A RIVER

It's easy to become immersed in this audiobook about a river and its neighbors. At the center of the tale is a young girl who was retrieved from the river, apparently dead. Yet, somehow, she revived and lives, but does not speak. From that beginning, this novel grows into an examination of the lives of the people in the village. Juliet Stevenson is simply an excellent narrator. She convincingly portrays each member of a large cast that includes an abused woman who is a bit slow, a nurse with deep dreads, a selfish son, and a couple grieving their missing daughter. Stevenson can slip in and out of attitudes, accents, and personalities seemingly effortlessly. The story and its telling are an awesome combination. G.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2018]