SISTERS OF THE SNAKE

Displaying an impressive array of vocal ability, Golden Voice narrator Soneela Nankani does double duty breathing life into the characters Rani and Ria. They are a princess and an orphan who, due to their identical appearance, swap places to save their home from war. Rani's tone is imperious and decisive, while Ria's is softer and more timid. Nankani's spicy inflections of Indian words and names throughout the book immerse the listener in a dangerous, sumptuous world. Particularly enjoyable is the character of Shima, Princess Rani's snake familiar, who quietly hisses equal amounts of wisdom and criticism to her mistress. As the unlikely duo walk the knife-edge of their perilous circumstances, Nankani guides listeners through this sinuous story with all the grace and majesty of a cobra. E.E. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2022]