DRAGONFLY SONG

Narrator Roslyn Oades's enthusiastic delivery enlivens this audiobook about an orphan girl who finds the strength to rise from despised servant to liberator of her people. Set in an island nation and told partly in verse, Aissa's story begins when her noble-born mother rejects her because of a birth defect. The girl ends up as a castle slave until she is chosen to go to the capital island to enter the bullring, where she'll likely be sacrificed to the king's god. If Aissa survives, her town is forever free from sending human tribute. Oades clearly sets off the poetry sections and builds tension and excitement into her performance. While teenagers may find her delivery a bit over-the-top, younger listeners will be enchanted. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2020]