BROOKLYN

Brooklyn, the titular protagonist of this novel, is hard to like. Similarly, Keyonni James provides a less-than-stellar narration of the life of this young woman born into a stiflingly conservative family. The telling of this fascinating mixture of drama and thriller is sadly marred by James as she attempts a heavy New York accent that is so overplayed that most native speakers will surely be offended. Portraying a preacher's kid who learns to hustle from watching her parents prey on parishioners of their church, James does a decent job of making Brooklyn seem real through her diction and pacing. Sadly, these do not help to quell the lack of realism found in her fake accent. S.D.D.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]