THE STARS AND THE BLACKNESS BETWEEN THEM

Narrator Bahni Turpin and author Junauda Petrus hit it out of the park with their pitch-perfect performances of this love story between two black teenage girls from different backgrounds. In a lilting Trinidadian accent full of spirit and warmth, Turpin voices Audre, who is sent from her native country to live with her dad in the U.S. after her mother finds her with another girl. Petrus is equally good as Mabel, whose life is turned upside down by a terminal diagnosis. Petrus's lyrical, quiet voice embodies Mabel's thoughtfulness, spirituality, and love of music. JD Jackson shines as Afua, a man on death row whom Mabel becomes close to. Together, these three powerful and distinct performances lift this coming-of-age story right off the page. L.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2019]