SHARKS IN THE TIME OF SAVIORS

Jolene Kim, Kaleo Griffith, G.K. Bowes, and Tui Asau take turns narrating this family saga cloaked in magical realism. Because the author chose to write alternating chapters in the first-person point of view and each chapter features a character with a distinct style, the narrators have a lot of work to do. This cast delivers. They portray members of a Hawaiian family, each with a particular accent and intonation. Not only do the narrators have to craft the featured character's speech pattern, they also have to match the speaking patterns of those the character interacts with. The ensemble does a magnificent job, rooting this novel in reality just enough that listeners will completely believe the magic. A.R.F. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2020]