GIFTED

The crisp tones of this narration keep the pace moving forward during what would be an otherwise dry start to this coming-of-age story about a mathematically gifted 14-year-old girl, the daughter of Indian immigrants living in Wales. Narrator Sneha Mathan creates authentic-sounding accents that capture the natural rhythms of various Indian characters speaking English as a second language. Rather than distracting the listener, the accents provide a more authentic atmosphere, particularly in the dialogue between Rumi's parents. Mathan conveys the thoughts of both the adults and the teenager at the novel’s center. The story involves complicated math equations, which the main character does often in her mind. Mathan tackles these capably, managing to make them meaningful for the listener. M.R. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2010]