STRANGERS AND COUSINS

Whether you enjoy this gathering of Blumenthals, Erlands, and sundry in anticipation of the nuptials of Clem, Walter and Bennie Blumenthal's free-spirited daughter may depend on whether the author's naturally fluty voice is your cup of narrative tea. In imitators, it's a timbre that easily veers over the edge into the saccharine. But while Cohen's story is whimsical, it is far from syrupy. Her narration, once one settles into it, captures the whimsy while maintaining the edge that a story with themes of bigotry and belonging, transition and tradition, demands. Cohen's fine performance as Great-Aunt Gladys Erland, whose past and present are the twin pillars on which this story stands, should win over even the most reluctant listener. K.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019]