SEDUCING THE SPIRITS

When Jenny, a budding ornithologist, is sent to a remote region of Panama to observe its eagles, she discovers that interacting with the Kuna villagers of the area is just as important (and sometimes just as puzzling) as studying the birds. Cassandra Campbell's facility with accents helps to bring the characters to life and provides a contrast to the descriptive and reflective passages in this slow-paced novel. At one point, when Jenny is reading from a villager's diary, it’s difficult to determine who is speaking, but Campbell's narration is otherwise easy to follow. Her smooth voice lends a sensual tone to this story of a young graduate student who falls under the spell of her tropical surroundings. A.E.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2010]