THE WHISPER SISTER

Narrator Helen Laser breathes life into Minnie Soffer, who narrates her family's story of coming to America and making a new life for themselves in 1920s New York City. The Soffers, Jewish Americans from Ukraine, are acculturating while retaining their religious rituals and attitudes. The father, Ike, runs a speakeasy and is involved in racketeering, bootlegging, and enforcing for the Jewish mob. Laser's performance is filled with a mix of New York, Irish, and Italian accents, as well as a valiant attempt at Yiddish. She steadily portrays Minnie as gruff, tough as nails, and determined to survive--a perfect performance for a girl who runs her father's bar. Violent scenes include gangs' territorial skirmishes and graphic descriptions of rape and sexual abuse. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2024]