LARK AND TERMITE

Phillips creates a story about the strength and danger of devotion. Kate Forbes is a standout as Lark, a West Virginia teenager who was left as a baby to be raised by her aunt and whose first love is Termite, her severely disabled half-brother, who was sent nine years later to the same aunt. All the narration is first-rate. James Yaegashi portrays Termite’s father, whose parallel story unfolds in war-torn South Korea, and Cynthia Darlow portrays the long-suffering Aunt Noni. All these characters are beautifully drawn, but it's really Lark who steals your heart, voiced here as gentle and good but with a backbone of pure steel. Forbes makes you believe completely in her decision to devote her life to caring for her brother. D.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]