MY LIFE AS A RAT

Narrator Sadie Alexandru captures an adolescent protagonist with compassion, evoking both sorrow and shock. Violet Rue Kerrigan witnesses her brother's involvement in a vicious attack and is disowned by her family after she tells authorities what happened. As Violet's voice audibly matures throughout the arc of the novel, Alexandru illuminates hot-button issues of allegiance, misogyny, race, and economic disparity with a dramatist's talent for character development. Violet's family betrayal affects her life in heartbreaking ways, but Alexandru makes sure to allow the humanity and self-awareness of this young woman to emerge. Throughout this remarkable story of courage in the face of deep loss, Alexandru guides listeners through darkness to redemption. R.O. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019]