THE SILENCE THAT BINDS US

Raechel Wong embodies the character of May Chen, a 16-year-old Chinese-American girl. After losing her smart, successful older brother to suicide, May and her family must endure racist stereotypes that accuse Asians of pushing their children too hard to succeed. Wong chooses not to create a unique voice for each character, but that choice in no way detracts from the effectiveness of her narration. Instead, her strength lies in expressing the emotions of the characters, which range from profound grief to bitter betrayal, from depthless anger to boundless determination. Listeners will be drawn in as Wong's voice shakes with outrage, quivers with despair, stutters with disbelief, and, ultimately, sings with triumph and pride. L.M.G. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2022]