THE GARDEN OF BURNING SAND

In Addison's legal thriller, Zoe Fleming, an American human rights lawyer in Zambia, vows justice for Kuyeya, an adolescent rape victim with Down syndrome. The gravity of the subject matter weighs on listeners throughout Robin Miles's thoughtful narration of this story of AIDS, poverty, and corruption. But while she clearly relates the mood of darkness through her tone, Miles also illuminates the underlying sense of hope with her empathetic treatment of the determined, optimistic protagonist as well as her compassionate portrayal of the crime's victim--and the budding relationship between the two. Miles skillfully alternates between Zoe's American tongue and the British and African dialects spoken by the international characters. But the power of this audio doesn't come from technical skill; it comes from Miles's passion--of which she has an abundance. J.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]