BLOODROOT

A full cast of narrators stays true to the strong voices of this novel and works well to differentiate the characters and their multiple points of view. Their accents blend convincingly to convey the remote Tennessee setting as each performer accomplishes a credible portrayal. Heroine Myra Lamb, a charismatic blue-eyed beauty, is rendered by Emily Janice Card. As a joyful child, Myra thrives under the care of her grandmother, whom narrator Lorna Raver depicts as tender and caring. Through the eyes of her children, we watch the changes that take place in Myra as her abusive marriage to John Odom unfolds. Portraying Myra's twins, Jesse Bernstein and Rebecca Lowman convey confusion and a yearning for stability. Richard McGonagle plays an older John, who, having resolved his life, fittingly concludes the story. S.W. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2010]