YELLOW RAFT IN BLUE WATER

Critics have described Michael Dorris's acclaimed debut as a braid: Each life is one strand interwoven to create a whole. To uphold that imagery, Barbara Rosenblat becomes three women in one for this production. She begins as Rayona, a teenager experiencing growing pains while dealing with her mother's illness. As Christine nears death, mother and daughter return to the reservation. With ease, Rosenblat switches from the higher, innocent voice of young Rayona to the gruffer, brassy voice of Christine, a woman who has always acted impulsively on her heart's desires. The final third of the book is Ida's story, the past that brings truth to the present. While her Native American inflection does not sound authentic, Rosenblat fittingly uses a deep, cold, snappish tone to convey the matriarchal character. Three strong women, one strong voice tells their story. M.M.O. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]