GOOD NIGHT, IRENE

This audiobook takes a little-known WWII program and builds a story around it, inspired by the real-life experiences of the author's mother. Irene joins the "Clubmobile" program as a Red Cross volunteer, and listeners follow her through a multitude of harrowing ordeals as she brings coffee, doughnuts, and other treats to soldiers on the front lines in Europe. Barrie Kreinik delivers the story with a steady, predictable regularity. Her voice becomes more emotionally nuanced as the audiobook proceeds, but often her tone is consistent to the point of sounding rote. While the pace and production values are reasonable, the audiobook never fully reaches the potential of the subject matter, remaining at the surface of the experience. The author's note is more emotionally charged. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2023]