ANGEL & HANNAH A Novel in Verse

This audiobook reimagines Romeo and Juliet in current-day New York City, where they face familiar obstacles. Ishle Yi Park is a fine narrator of her work, energetic and authentic. That said, novels in verse can be tricky things, especially in the audiobook format; the listener loses the guidance of seeing line breaks and sacrifices the ability to pause over a phrase when necessary. At first, this audiobook sounds forced and self-conscious, but listener patience pays off. Once the audiobook is underway, the rhythms and Park's delivery of them settle in, and the listener is readily immersed in the arc of the couple's romantic journey. Some sections are more artful and appealing than others, but ultimately they all blend successfully to become an engaging listening experience. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2021]