CLAIRE OF THE SEA LIGHT

Young Claire's story takes place in a Haitian fishing village, and Robin Miles, as narrator, is a master of the language and its unique pronunciations. Her ease with accents helps create a sense of place, but her overall pacing is halting, to the point of sounding too heavy at times. This problem loosens up somewhat as the audiobook progresses, but it does impact its appeal as a whole. The story of Claire's disappearance seems to unfold in slow motion, and Miles's vocals lack the distinctive quality that would enrapture a listener. Fans of Danticat may be drawn in by the author's compassionate voice; Miles's performance is reasonably good, while not resounding. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2013]