THE ROYAL ABDULS

Narrators Soneela Nankani and Neil Shah work together to create this multigenerational portrait of an Indian family in post-9/11 America. Nankani is masterful as she cycles through several female characters who range from Amina, an up-and-coming evolutionary biologist, to Amina's white sister-in-law. Nankani takes us tenderly into Amina's interior thoughts, garnering sympathy as she combats misogyny in the workplace. Shah is much more contemplative as the teenage Omar, Amina's nephew, who struggles with balancing the two sides of his identity. Listeners are treated to a wide cast of characters and their myriad struggles as Muslim Americans in a polarized country. This is a rich listening experience for those who are fans of contemporary multicultural fiction. M.R. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2020]