PARADISE ONCE

The compelling voice of skilled narrator Almarie Guerra transports listeners to the physical and spiritual world of a Taino village in early 1500s Cuba, where the supernatural is ever present in daily life. After Spanish forces attack the village, four young survivors undertake a grueling quest to preserve the Tainos' sacred heritage. Three are from different Indigenous Caribbean communities, and the other is a young African man who escaped from Spanish enslavement. Guerra's variations in volume, tone, pace, and pitch distinguish characters and portray their emotions in each scene. Her voice conveys both gravity and wonder, imbuing the story with the mood of an allegory, told and retold, heavy with meaning. V.E.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2025]