HOW DOES A SINGLE BLADE OF GRASS THANK THE SUN?

Narrators Andrea Bang and Yuta Takenaka add refreshing vitality to the voices in this eclectic collection of stories showcasing the perspectives of young Asian-Canadians. Bang's spritely tone gives her voice a youthful innocence that creates an interesting contrast when she spits out crisp expletives in a story called "God Damn, How Real Is This?" With precise articulation she portrays a movie starlet in a story called "Rerun." Takenaka infuses liveliness into the title story, and his deep, resonant voice provides the perfect contrast to Bang's treble. Both Bang and Takenaka's spot-on pronunciations of various Asian words capture the characters in their elements. Overall, solid performances by Bang and Takenaka turn these engaging slices of life into provocative listening experiences. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2020]