THIS REBEL HEART

Narrator Kathleen Gati deftly captures the tensions of the harrowing 1956 Hungarian Revolution in this powerful audiobook. The murder of 18-year-old Csilla Tisza's parents weighs heavily on her as she counts the days until she can escape from Budapest. Government oppression and scrutiny by state security push her and new friends Azriel, an angel of death, and Tamás, a man who is seeking his missing lover, to join others in the protest for better lives. Each chapter begins with a tone-setting passage from Csilla's father's journal, performed with sangfroid by Steven Jay Cohen. Gati's delivery of Eastern European accents during dialogue combined with unaccented narrative, accurate pronunciation of Hungarian names, and authentic-sounding Yiddish provides vitality. Intense emotion and building tension make this a fascinating dip into history with a touch of fantasy. S.D.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2022]