THE MADONNAS OF LENINGRAD

Yelena Shmulenson infuses this Russian story of migration and love with a believable accent for the dialogue between the characters. She alternates between a neutral tone for the narrative and a Russian-accented English for the thoughts, speech, and names of the characters. Carried forward by this authenticity, the listener is swept into the world of this family epic, set against the backdrop of WWII. Shmulenson's voice is gentle at various points in the story, and her cadence casts a spell over the listener. Overall, the effect is one of a bedtime story, though the there are serious themes in the novel. An enjoyable read, delivered by an expert narrator, this is an excellent title. M.R. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]