THIRTY GIRLS

Unerring pacing and pitch-perfect accents characterize Robin Miles's masterful presentation of this difficult, yet wonderful, story. Minot's powerful fact-based novel is the harrowing story of two young women dealing with personal struggles that play out against the backdrop of atrocities committed by an African rebel leader and his army of enslaved child warriors. Miles handles transitions flawlessly as the point of view alternates between that of American Jane and that of Ugandan Esther, and gives convincing voices to an international cast, male and female. Most impressive is the authentic cadence and lilt she uses for Esther, one of 30 girls abducted by the rebel army. Minot does not sensationalize the brutality and heartbreak the characters experience, and Miles's delivery blends understated emotion and crisp objectivity. M.O.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2014]