THE SUMMER OF BITTER AND SWEET

Julie Lumsden portrays 18-year-old Lou, a biracial Métis. Lumsden's steady pacing captures the stresses of Lou's continual encounters with racism, violence, financial insecurity, and the repercussions of the lies she's told to survive. Lumsden's performance also reflects Lou's complex feelings about her wealthy white biological father, who raped her mother. As Lou's ex-boyfriend pressures her sexually, listeners can hear how close to the edge she is. When a friend named King reenters her life, Lumsden evokes his caring and Lou's longing for tenderness and honesty. As Lou's father is released from prison and begins stalking her, Lumsden amplifies the teen's tension. She also expresses Lou's determination to be free, to understand herself, and to heal. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2023 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2023]