THIRST

Severely disfigured in the Chechen war, Kostya is now limited to helping his neighbor frighten her son into good behavior (simply by showing his face) and drinking vodka. His self-imposed isolation is ended when his Army friends rally to find a member of their old group. Luke Daniels embraces this performance with boundless energy, blending accents and voices to suit the characters’ personalities rather than focusing solely on their native language. His efforts go a long way to make this novel compatible with the audio format. Because Kostya’s journey becomes one of self-discovery, the leaps between disparate events can present a challenge. However, Daniels bridges the gaps with his innate understanding of the text and his all-out approach to dialogue. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]