SAINTS OF THE HOUSEHOLD

A dual narration represents the alternating voices of two brothers, Jay and Max. Each is affected in a different way by their father’s physical abuse. But both unite to beat up the school soccer star, who appears to be assaulting their cousin. Timothy Pabon delivers Jay’s thoughtful prose vignettes, expressing his solidness and sense of responsibility, along with his feelings of fierce anger, fear, loneliness, and sadness at the rift with his brother. Pabon gives an excellent rendition of the Bribri (indigenous Costa Rican language) words that appear in the text and that color Jay’s thoughts. Alejandro Ruiz delivers the free-form poetry of Jay’s younger brother, Max. Bursts of language reveal Max’s fierce drive for self-protection, passion for art, and disregard for anything that could interfere with his determination to escape his trauma. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]