THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS

Some stories cry out to be read aloud, and Arundhati Roy’s mystical view into the lives of twins, Rahel and Estappen, succeeds brilliantly through this fine narration. In harmony with the heat and slow pace of Southern India, the smells, sounds and sights are described in exquisite detail made all the more exotic by Donada Peters’s reading. Her careful pacing, superb diction and perfect understanding of the language and idioms of Indian-English combine into a memorable performance. Peters handles the author’s delicious, poetic wordplay, which presents a perfect child-like view of the twins’ family and surrounding culture. Staying with the shifting time frames and recollections is tricky, but Peters is a fascinating and accomplished guide. The book won the 1997 Booker Prize, and it should be additionally acclaimed as an audiobook. R.F.W. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 98]