THE MIRACLE & TRAGEDY OF THE DIONNE QUINTUPLETS

Robin Miles narrates the story of the famed quintuplets, born in Canada in 1934 to Olivia and Elzire Dionne. Speaking in a tone of authority and engagement, Miles captures the story's dramatic elements and the author's impeccable research. The birth quickly became a media frenzy, and Miles dramatically renders the parents' fight to retain custody of the children and control of the income they produced. Listeners will hear about the complex emotional dynamics of children being raised as tourist attractions--their attachment to attention and contrasting loneliness, their closeness to caregivers and distance from family, and, ultimately, the price they paid while others benefited financially. Each chapter begins with a headline that encapsulates a key event from a 64-year period. Miles's readings of dialogue and journal writings add emotion to the real-life drama. S.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2019]