THE LOVERS

How does a narrator develop voices for Turkish characters who are supposed to be speaking English with a heavy accent—and do so in a way that listeners can understand? Vendela Vida’s novel centers on Yvonne, a teacher from New England who is reeling from the loss of her husband in a car accident. Yvonne goes to Datça, Turkey, where she spent her honeymoon, intending to contemplate her married life. The city is changed—it is now rubbish ridden, and the ocean is polluted. Suzanne Toren’s resonant and dignified tone captures Yvonne’s aloofness and search for connection. Although some minor English-speaking characters have dodgy accents, Toren successfully conveys the Turks speaking English, especially her landlord’s wife, Ozlem (the Turkish face of Dove soap), who is both friendly and manipulative. A.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2010]