MY NAME IS IRIS

Skyhorse's timely dystopian tale comes to life, thanks to Alejandra Reynoso, the voice of Iris, an American citizen born of undocumented immigrants. Iris's struggle to "be American" has taken a toll on her. When she was a child, her mother insisted that she speak only English and eschew bilingual education. Then there was the teacher who changed her name to Iris because Inez was too hard to say. Now Iris's voice is accent-free, but she often sounds angry. Reynoso transitions smoothly into Spanish when Iris's parents and sister speak, giving the listener a taste of the challenge of being surrounded by an unfamiliar tongue. Iris's daughter Melanie's voice displays the range of emotions a nine-year-old feels as she copes with changes in her life. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2023]