Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Narrators Amy Ryan and Michael Stuhlbarg serve up a delicious debut novel about a young woman who triumphs over adversity to become a world-renowned chef. Evocative descriptions and a gift for character development weave this relatively simple story into so much more. Eva's character develops indirectly as a quirky cast of family members and friends, all with connections to the Midwest "foodie" community, present different chapters. Ryan and Stuhlbarg shine as they use subtle pacing and tone to portray the unique personalities of each character, adding just the slightest hints of a Midwestern accent to give authenticity and differentiation. Stradal's skillful writing delivered by accomplished narrators offers listeners a debut performance to savor. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine