The City in the Middle of the Night

Narrators Jennifer O'Donnell and Laura Knight Keating's alternating voices work in tandem to create a complex portrait of life on the harsh planet of January. O'Donnell and Keating communicate the tense urgency of the planet's inhabitants, who live a precarious existence balanced between dangerous extremes of blazing light and frigid darkness. Conveying the perfect amount of vulnerability and grit, O'Donnell gives voice to Mouth, a wary smuggler searching for clues about her long-lost clan. For her part, Keating communicates the sweet-natured resolve of Sophie, who has triumphed over death and now fights to save her dying planet. The production is somewhat marred by occasional instances of uneven sound quality, but the narration is strong, and listeners will be captivated by the compelling story. S.A.H. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine