YOUR PRESENCE IS MANDATORY

Sam Rushton gives a splendid performance of this well-written story about the life of a Jewish Red Army soldier, Yefim Shulman, who is from Ukraine. The novel is based on the author's family's experiences during WWII. Yefin is captured by the Germans early in the war, survives captivity, and eventually rejoins the Red Army and fights in Berlin at the end of the war. Having been a prisoner of the Germans was a black mark that sometimes resulted in a prison sentence, or even execution, so Yefim hides this from his wife and family. Only after his death do they learn some of the truth. The novel alternates between episodes taking place during the war and those after the war, ending in present-day Donbas. Rushton has clear enunciation and is adroitly expressive in both the narrative and dialogue. His performance of this splendidly written work makes it a production one is reluctant to turn off. M.T.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]