THE ACCIDENTAL APPRENTICE

Sneha Mathan's English-Indian-sounding narration suits this story of a young woman's trials in Delhi. Supna Sinha, the breadwinner of her family, is visiting a temple when she’s approached by a billionaire businessman offering to make her CEO of his company, providing that she passes seven tests. The story has a fairy-tale feel, but Supna is a sceptical and reluctant heroine, and life in Delhi is full of harsh realities. Mathan gives convincing voice to males and females of all ages, including the policeman who is fond of quoting couplets in Urdu and an elderly kleptomaniac Gandhian. As life becomes difficult for our heroine, Mathan sounds more and more weighed down. As authentic as this feels, a little more energy in the narration would have improved the listen. C.A.T. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2014]