A CHILD OF THE JAGO

Nicholas Boulton brings this bleakly energetic 1896 novel to life with intelligence. Set in the worst of the London slums, it focuses on the ill-starred Perrott family, especially the boy Dicky, but includes many other neighborhood characters. Boulton moves easily among all of them, fluently altering voices, accents, ages, and genders as if he's a one-man full cast. His deep, slightly rough narrative voice is itself a pleasure. His sensitivity and skill help characterize the people, illuminating and enriching the story's episodes. His empathetic delivery makes this brutal time and place more vivid, which helps involve the listener. His strong but unobtrusive performance enhances both the poignancy and the pleasure of this novel. W.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]