AN ORCHESTRA OF MINORITIES

Narrator Chukwudi Iwuji has us laughing and crying along with an unnamed chi, or ancestral Nigerian spirit. Through his observations, we hear about the life, love, and difficulties of a poor chicken farmer named Chinonso. Iwuji sounds confident and persistent as he portrays Chinonso's determination in ringing tones and a gentle cadence. This is a contemporary African Romeo and Juliet story, which Iwuji narrates with omniscience, as the chi sees all and reports all to the listener. We are rooting for Chinonso to end up with Ndali, whose wealthy family doesn't care that he saved her life. Will he manage to climb the social ladder and win Ndali's hand? We listen with fingers crossed in hope. M.R. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2019]