THE ONES WHO DON'T SAY THEY LOVE YOU Stories

New Orleans provides the setting for this audiobook of short stories by the award-winning author Maurice Carlos Ruffin. Written in dialect, the majority of the 19 stories describe people trying to make ends meet in challenging circumstances. Narrators Adam Alexi-Malle and Asia Rainey do the job of immersing listeners in these hardscrabble lives. While Alexi-Malle's narration is clear and readily understood, delivery in a New Orleans accent would have been more effective since the city itself is a key element in the stories. For her part, Rainey narrates at a more leisurely pace, employing dramatic flourishes and emotional variation that better embody the spirit of the city. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2021]