THE MAP OF LOST MEMORIES

At first, Kin Fay’s auspicious debut novel about the search for lost treasure in Cambodia in 1925 seems like a typical adventure novel. But it’s more. The story’s focus on Irene Blum, a woman searching for treasure in a field dominated by men, creates a feminist angle. Yet at its core the book excels because it is a superb character study with highly realistic dialogue that reader Karyn O’Bryant smoothly brings to audio. O’Bryant’s delivery recognizes the many facets of Fay’s work and allows the listener to appreciate them by using a rhythmic cadence that gives life to every word. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2012]