STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY

When fortune deposits Rendi in the Village of the Clear Sky as chore boy at the inn, he is resentful and unfriendly, especially toward Peiyi, the innkeeper’s daughter. No one— not Master Chao nor guest Madame Chang nor old Mr. Shan—seems to share his concern for the moon, missing from the nighttime sky, or his desire to leave the village. As Rendi carries out a quest for himself and the villagers, author Lin interweaves Chinese folktales that ultimately unify the story. Kim Mai Guest narrates with a delicate and ethereal voice that adds depth and mystery to the drama in both the story and the folktales. In character, she demonstrates a repertoire of voices and emotions. In particular, she deepens and slows her voice as Peiyi’s missing brother and elevates and speeds it as argumentative Widow Yang. Best of all, her “Noxious Toad” burps with gusto. A.R. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2012]