APARTMENT WOMEN

Nancy Wu's inviting narration brings listeners into the world of the first four families who move into a twelve-unit government housing complex outside of Seoul, South Korea. The story shifts among the perspectives of the four mothers, with primary focus on the newest resident, Yogin, and her neighbor, Hyonae. Wu portrays Yogin's efficient persona and contemplative nature as she struggles to balance the demands of her job as a pharmacy assistant and her new building's communal childcare duties. Wu wonderfully conveys the often-exasperated tone of Hyonae, a freelance illustrator who works from home, who has similar conflicts. The other mothers, who include a controlling supermom, are vibrantly presented in snapshots throughout the story. This powerful depiction of marriage, motherhood, and societal expectations packs a wallop. M.J. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2024]