RIVER EAST, RIVER WEST

As a half-Chinese teenager in Shanghai, Alva shared a close bond with her American expat mother but longed for the idealized California life depicted in movies. Jennifer Lim's portrayal of Alva's youthful resentment is colored with both confusion and defiance. Who is her father, and why must they live this half-in/half-out life in China? When Alva's mom marries a much older Chinese businessman, Alva rebels. David Shih's more mature voice tells the story of Lu Fang, Alva's unlikely new stepfather. Shih leads the listener back in time to gradually reveal Lu Fang's past as a victim of Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution, and then his unlikely history with Alva's mother. The performance is enhanced by both narrators' delivery of Mandarin names and phrases. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2024]