THE BLIND ASSASSIN

Margaret Atwood's novel is well served by this CBC production, which uses a rich but restrained sound design to capture the shifts of time and voice. The drama presents aged Iris Chase's reflections on her relationship with her younger sister, Laura, whose posthumous novel has brought Laura literary cult status. Iris's decade-spanning memories are interspersed with scenes from Laura's sci-fi tale, yet these ongoing shifts never confuse. Subtle music and ambient sound evoke setting nicely. The clink of crockery punctuates lunch-time talk; even an outdoor celebration minimizes the pop and sizzle of fireworks. Less proves to be more. The emphasis continually falls on the fine cast of 20 voices and on Iris and Laura's absorbing story. G.H. 2006 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 06]