UPROOTED

Novik's sure-footed fantasy about a young woman and a mysterious magician is destined to become a classic of the genre. However, Julia Emelin's narration, while not without its highlights, is not equal to the book. Emelin employs a thick Eastern European accent that helps solidify the setting, and she does an excellent job pronouncing the Russian- and Polish-influenced character names as well as the magical language used by witches and wizards. But her delivery ranges from expressive to wooden, and her character voices blend together to the point of indistinguishability. Also, mispronunciations marr the performance, included repeated mispronunciations of the words "iron" and "drawing." Dedicated fantasy fans will stick around for the wonderful story, but other listeners may be put off by the performance. E.C. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2016]