HARSH TIMES

Ian Guerra masterfully narrates this stunning novel, the latest by Nobel Laureate Vargas Llosa. It is the story of the 1954 American-backed military coup of the democratically elected government of Guatemala, which effectively rendered that small country into a banana republic. Guerra voices the many characters of the novel distinctly--no easy feat. People swing in and out of the action; some, whose stories are well underway, are never heard from again. Guerra begins each new chapter as a deep breath punctuating his reading, helping the listener identify the theme of the novel: A multitude of nameless and voiceless people gave their lives to fight a superpower obsessed by the perceived threats of the Cold War. A masterful performance of a memorable book. D.G.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2022]