THE WIND RISES Alma, Book 1

Waceke Wambaa flawlessly delivers this harrowing but essential look at the slave trade in the 1780s from the perspectives of both the brutal staff of the enslavers and the human cargo. Listeners will be appalled to hear the captain proclaim: "To guarantee a ship's success, no humanity must exist on board!" The voices of both young and elderly Africans and European colonizers, the heartbroken and the unfazed, are all skillfully rendered. Wambaa's warm and conversational style alters immediately whenever the story requires. Most unforgettable are: Alma, a skilled archer who relentlessly searches for her kidnapped younger brother, and indomitable 14-year-old Joseph, who outfoxes much older and more experienced adversaries, much to listeners' delight. The unforgettable conclusion ties together the captivating and sometimes unanticipated connections. A stellar listening experience. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]