BOOK OF THE LITTLE AXE by Lauren Francis-Sharma - Booklist Starred Review

Booklist | January 7, 2021

Throughout Lauren Francis-Sharma’s saga, she gives readers a cast of characters whose stories are drawn from the tangled beginnings of the Caribbean and the early American West, detailed with subtexts of racism and colonialism. Central to the story is Rosa, a strong-willed Trinidadian woman, who, as the story begins, is the wife of Edward Rose, a Crow Chief in 1830s Wyoming. How did she get here and what secret does she carry with her that affects not only her future but her son’s? Taking a circu-linear path, the players and places combine to unravel this history’s mystery. Narrator Robin Miles takes it to a higher level through her oral presentation, truly crafting a sweeping story experience. She captures the essence of each character, breathing added believability into their bones, demonstrating an amazing range of vocalizations. With a “narrator” voice that works as a plain canvas, she then paints a wide variety of accents and languages (American, Caribbean and British English, French, Spanish, and those of several Native Peoples of North America), including nuanced local dialects appropriate to the time period; she is able to effortlessly sound male and female, youthful and elderly. This is an exceptional audio production that doesn’t need any flashy special effects. Highly recommended.

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