THE MEMORY OF LOVE

This prize-winning literary novel is set during the civil war in Sierra Leone. For some readers, such books can be dry or inaccessible in print. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's delivery creates a smoldering tale of mounting danger. His baritone is rich, deeply infusing the characters with liveliness. He varies his pitch and pace to depict the female characters and their dialogue. Holdbrook-Smith's diction is precise, enunciated, and deliberate, and his slight British accent underscores the colonial history of the story's setting. The overall effect is rather like watching a “Masterpiece Contemporary” episode. M.R. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]