WHEN SHE WOKE

Narrator Heather Corrigan's sweet, innocent voice at first seems incongruous for a story set in a world in which convicted criminals are “chromed” to change their skin color to match their crimes. However, as the story unfolds and listeners follow “red chrome” Hannah Payne—convicted of murder because she had an abortion—Corrigan’s narration becomes one with the plot. Her vocal tone reflects Hannah's character development as she faces life alone and questions her beliefs. Corrigan also uses accents and changes in vocal personality to distinguish the story’s other key characters. Her switches between her own light reading style to a deeper, harsher voice for some of the male characters are effective and plausible. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2011]