HALF-BLOWN ROSE

Mela Lee exhibits excellent range and pacing as she portrays Vincent, a woman who is rediscovering herself in Paris while her estranged husband, Cillian, tries to win her back from afar.Not knowing how to move past finding out Cillian's long-held secret when he publishes a semiautobiographical book, she begins a love affair with a younger man. The following summer she reunites with Cillian for their son's wedding with a clearer understanding of who she has become and what she wants in a relationship. Tim Campbell performs excerpts from Cillian's book in a lyrical Irish accent. These excerpts, along with playlists and journal entries, enhance the characters' emotional lives. Lee repeats French phrases in a breathy tone, giving listeners a vivid sense of Vincent's feelings. A.L.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2022]