INTERPRETER OF MALADIES

The crystalline writing in the nine stories of this Pulitzer Prize-winning debut collection dazzles. These sensitive explorations of the lives of Indian immigrants and expatriates touch on universal themes, making them at once specific and broad in their appeal. Narrator Matilda Novak's light voice is fine for stories written by a young woman, and the hint of melody in her reading is typical of Indian voices. Yet her narration sometimes passes over the crux of a story without pause, leaving the listener wondering if the reader understood the point. Nonetheless, listeners will understand the gentle, ironic points the author is making. These are wonderful stories, pleasantly, though not brilliantly, read. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]