THE SPARK AND THE DRIVE

When 17-year-old Justin is given the chance to apprentice with the best car mechanic in the east, he learns much more than how to rebuild an engine. Narrator Quincy Dunn-Baker colors his performance with an earnestness that is meant to reflect Justin's naïve eagerness to emulate his mentor, both on and off the job. Dunn-Baker is not convincing as a teenager, and listeners must remind themselves that Justin is still quite young. In addition, Baker's delivery takes on a rolling cadence that doesn't fit the pace of this coming-of-age story or the daily rhythms of work in the garage. He does, however, give each character a clear and consistent voice and infuses the dialogue with a satisfying level of emotion. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2014]