THE NIGHT ENDS WITH FIRE

Natalie Naudus narrates the opening of a duology retelling the Mulan legend. Meilin escapes from her abusive father when he arranges to sell her to an equally abusive husband. She disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the army, where she augments her training with nightly sessions. A jade necklace she inherited from her mother is imbued with black magic, and she starts to hear a dragon in her mind who promises great power. Naudus handles the Chinese names with ease but otherwise doesn't attempt accents. The story is told by Meilin, and Naudus captures her bravado, as well as her insecurity. The supporting characters are mostly male; Naudus skillfully portrays the distinguishing class, rank, and age of each one. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2024]