SWIMMING BACK TO TROUT RIVER

Nancy Wu has a versatile voice and is exactly the type of narrator this intergenerational novel needs. Junie is a Chinese girl who is growing up in the countryside with her grandparents during the Cultural Revolution. Wu's dexterity is on full display as she transitions from male to female characters across a range of ages. Her changes in pitch, accent, and timbre help listeners visualize Junie; her grandparents; and her parents, Momo and Cassie. Fans of international fiction will find much to admire here. Wu is a master at timing, smoothly shifting from dense description to lively exchanges of dialogue. This intricate story of love, loss, and migration is expertly delivered. M.R. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2021]