THE GIRL FROM THE GARDEN

This beautiful yet disturbing story of a well-to-do Iranian family that is Jewish explores the ways family dynamics and cultural expectations affect the lives of three generations of women living under one roof in Kermanshah in the early twentieth century. Narrator Lameece Issaq calls on her acting background to deliver naturally paced, animated dialogue, brimming with the women's feelings as they establish their places within the household, cope with jealousy, embrace joy, face sorrows, and fulfill (or not) their duties to their husbands and God. While Issaq's reading of the narrative is periodically broken by unexpected pauses, the ethnicity of the family and the Middle Eastern setting are enriched by her native-sounding Hebrew and other regional accents, giving listeners an added layer of connection. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2015]