CONCEPTION

A fetus that has opinions and tells its own story is one of the characters in this novel. Its mother is 15-year-old Shivana Montgomery, of Chicago’s South Side, who babysits for the couple upstairs and has sex with the husband. As she considers whether or not to have an abortion, she falls in love with a neighborhood boy—and with her own unborn baby. The emotional changes Shivana goes through make the listener tremble. Bahni Turpin conveys every nuance of her joy and sorrow. The voices of her mother, aunt, impregnator, best friend, and her aunt’s lover are also perfectly rendered. The story itself is clichéd, but Turpin’s delivery makes this audio production something between being a gem and a miracle. R.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 08]