SHIVA'S FIRE

India is the setting for Suzanne Staples's story of Pavrati, a child with great and magical gifts. Born on the day of a devastating cyclone which causes her father's death, Pavrati, along with her mother, is shunned by the townspeople. When a guru arrives and requests that Pavrati come to his school to learn the dancing arts of the devadasi, a new world of possibilities unfolds. Christina Moore is a gentle narrator. Her firm voice and belief in Parvati's goodness carry the listener as Pavrati triumphantly returns to dance for the maharaja's birthday. As Pavrati becomes acquainted with Rama, the maharaja's son, who also has many gifts, Moore underscores the tension between Pavrati's devotion to dance and the possibilities of friendship and love. Moore does not rush, and her pauses allow the listener to reflect and to anticipate subsequent events. Listen and enjoy! A.R. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 01]