NOT SO PURE AND SIMPLE

Narrator Korey Jackson puts the listener into the mind of Delbert "Del" Rainey as he navigates the tricky waters of high school relationships. Since Del has crushed on Kiera for as long as he can remember, he doesn't see the harm in telling a few white lies to get close to her. When he does so, his past reputation (both true and false) comes back to bite him. Jackson's deep, sonorous voice wouldn't seem like a natural fit for an occasionally whiny teenager, yet somehow he perfectly inhabits this complex character. Del is funny and generally likable, but Jackson doesn't hesitate to highlight his moments of thoughtless behavior and attitude of entitlement. Del's friends are also believably voiced as individuals and as a group. N.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2020]