HOSTAGE

Narrating a book by Elie Wiesel requires a combination of talents, including the ability to create different voices, to employ a range of accents, and to move smoothly between English and other languages. All of these are expertly handled by Mark Bramhall in his performance of Wiesel’s latest novel. The book, which focuses on the kidnapping of Shaltiel Feigenberg by an Arab and an Italian, is a complex yet accessible thriller that compels the listener to confront many issues that connect the past with the present. As the story progresses and Feigenberg confronts his past and attempts to reconcile himself to his captivity, Bramhall’s performance permits the listener to bond with him and to understand his predicament and the memories that haunt him. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]