HALSEY STREET

Halsey Street, in Brooklyn, where Penelope lives, is a place any listener might like to visit, despite Penelope's mixed feelings about the place--and her family. Narrator Bahni Turpin's performance is gorgeous. Her voice has a texture that suits the nuances of the novel's plot: easy enough to absorb but with a depth and grittiness that make it interesting and real. As the novel opens, Penelope's family has been splintered for a while, and, thanks to Turpin's skilled performance, listeners come to care about these flawed, authentic people right away. She gives the varied characters distinct voices, and with a clear-eyed candor brings to life their conflicts, which expand to include larger social issues. Well-written and beautifully read, HALSEY STREET is worth a stroll. L.B.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]