WATER STREET

Coleen Marlo takes us back to 1875 Brooklyn and the life of 13-year-old Birdie Mallon and her friend, Thomas Neary. Marlo distinguishes between the two protagonists with emotions rather than voice. Thomas is a dreamy writer who avoids his father when he drinks and longs for his missing mother. Sensitive Birdie worries about her brother's fighting, her older unmarried sister, Thomas, and her conflicting wish to heal and hatred of surgical horrors. Sad situations are strong, but they don't overwhelm characters or listeners when Marlo delivers comfort through the musical Irish accents and tender actions of Birdie's mother, Nory (the childhood heroine of NORY RYAN'S SONG). S.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 07]