INTO THE LIGHT

Alejandro Antonio Ruiz conveys the constraints and tenseness that govern the life of homeless 17-year-old Manny, who has escaped a cult and worries about what they have done with his sister. Ruiz repeats Manny's self-protective thoughts with chilling emotional vehemence. "Lie, lie, lie," he commands himself, and the way Ruiz reads these refrains is riveting. Added tension comes from Ruiz's contrasting portrayals of the kindly family who seek to help Manny and the threats of the deacon and white cult members who are bent on "saving" children of color. Switches back and forth in time build Manny's story as he remembers his past. At one point, sudden fantastical elements surprise listeners but don't halt the audio's gripping quality. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]