Speak, Okinawa

Narrator Sachi Lovatt's measured, almost detached, tone suits author Elizabeth Miki Brina's candid memoir of her challenges with racial identity. Brina, the daughter of a war bride from Okinawa and an American veteran of the Vietnam War, shares her intimate and emotional story. Lovatt's calm tone and relaxed pace help listeners settle into the narrative's complexities as she conveys incidents of intergenerational trauma, promiscuity, alcohol abuse, racial prejudice, and difficult parent/adult child relationships. Lovatt's facility with Japanese words and her thoughtful presentations of Brina, her Japanese-born mother, and her American-born father add authenticity and nuance. Lovatt's impressive narration helps listeners connect with Brina's pain and root for her as she navigates her challenging family landscape and finds her place in the world. M.J. � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine