THE LIAR

Narrator Ajjaz Awad becomes the teenage Nofar, full of angst, foibles, and a longing to be seen. Awad's characterization is light, allowing us to hear Nofar's boredom as an ice cream shop attendant. As we feel both pity and amusement at her plight, Awad moves us capably through seemingly inconsequential moments at a rapid pace so that the novel's darker turn comes as a surprise. Listeners are drawn into a swirl of confusion and delight as a dilemma arises over a lie that Nofar has told. The heroine's complicated emotions are perfectly captured by Awad in the girlish voice she uses for Nofar's interior monologue. We don't judge her as harshly as we would otherwise. When Nofar is joined by an older liar, Awad's dexterity--and our interest--is heightened. M.R. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2019]