FORTY WORDS FOR LOVE

Dual narrators present alternating chapters featuring two teens who live in a magical town whose seaside waters have turned gray after a tragic event. Vikas Adam depicts Raf, a somber youth, who has come from a distant land with the help of an enchanted Golub tree. Adam reflects the young man's tremendous sense of responsibility and his desire for a loving relationship with Yas. Shiromi Arserio delivers Yas's chapters, showing her worry over her family's well-being during the town's struggles, her determination to grow, and her continuing love for Raf. Both narrators blend the real and the fantastical elements with ease, depicting the minor characters in each of their orbits and the joy that comes when their mutual yearning is satisfied. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2023]