INLAND

A dynamic pair, Anna Chlumsky and Edoardo Ballerini, deliver an emotionally rich performance of this intricately woven story steeped in the Western frontier. Haunted by their pasts, Nora and Lurie do what they can to survive in the desolation of the Arizona Territory. Lurie's chapters unfold in the first person, and Edoardo Ballerini's deep, gravelly voice and purposeful cadence underline the urgent intimacy of the truth being revealed. While Ballerini is good, Anna Chlumsky is near perfect as Nora. Chlumsky employs a slight Western drawl and resists the urge to rush the story, naturally lingering on reflections and revelations. Chlumsky's impressive versatility with a variety characters--men, women, and especially children--further enlivens the performance, transporting listeners to this mythic time and place. A.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2019]