THE WINDUP GIRL

Paolo Bacigalupi's debut sci-fi novel is a stunner, especially as interpreted under the careful ministrations of narrator Jonathan Davis. The novel postulates a corrupt near-future society in Southeast Asia, where powerful corporations vie for control over rice yields by wielding bioengineered viruses as tools for profit. The character of Emiko is a manufactured "new human" girl whose exploitation forms the background of this imagining of future terrorism. Davis infuses Emiko with such pathos that the listener is made to feel her every humiliation at the hands of heartless murderers. Each revelation of depravity is juxtaposed against Emiko's poignant story, masterfully given voice by Davis. Understated, yet engaging and visionary, this is a must-hear. J.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2009]