THE WIND KNOWS MY NAME

Narrators Edoardo Ballerini and Maria Liatis couldn't be better in Isabel Allende's intricate, heartrending novel. From 1938 Europe to 2019 America, numerous upended lives are woven into a fascinating tapestry. Samuel Adler must leave Nazi Germany via the Kindertransport; Leticia Cordero narrowly escapes the El Mozote massacre in El Salvador; because of the Trump government's heartless immigration policy, 7-year-old partially blind Anita is left alone in a detention center after her mother is deported. Ballerini is simply outstanding. Every voice he delivers is believable; every emotion feels authentic. As Anita, Liatis sounds like a child--displaced, afraid, and dependent on a determined social worker and a sympathetic lawyer. Allende's poignant storytelling and sharp criticism of unfeeling bureaucracies are made even better by two remarkable performances. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2023]