FERVOR

Genevieve Gaunt's narration allows listeners to enter the hearts of the Rosenthals, a Jewish family living in London after WWII. Initial scenes describe the dying patriarch, Yosef, a Holocaust survivor. Though his appearance is brief, his impact on the family is convincing because of Gaunt's depiction of his age, accent, and authority. Yosef's death yields to the family's concerns about the mystical preoccupations of middle daughter Elsie, whose youth Gaunt conveys in a singsong intonation. The novel then switches viewpoints, time periods, and main characters and shifts from the first to the third person. Regardless, Gaunt keeps listeners engaged, tracking the curious qualities of all five of the dysfunctional Rosenthal family members. Gaunt's portrayals and dynamic scenes allow the characters' realities to depict weighty issues such as Jewish mysticism. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]