Boy, Snow, Bird

Starred review from January 6, 2014
The latest novel from Oyeyemi (Mr. Fox) is about a woman named Boy; her stepdaughter, Snow; and her daughter, Bird. Set in the 1950s Massachusetts, the novel is a retelling of the Snow White tale that plays on the concept of “fairest of them all,” complete with mirrors as a recurring motif. The story begins with Boy’s headlong escape from her abusive father in New York City. She washes up in a small New England town where she meets Arturo Whitman, a widower who becomes her husband. When their daughter, Bird, is born, she is noticeably “colored,” though her half-sister, Snow (Arturo’s daughter), appears not to be. Boy, who is white, discovers that her husband’s family are African-Americans passing as white. Snow is sent away to be raised by an aunt, and the book’s middle section is narrated by Bird, who is as whip smart, wry, and irresistible as Boy. Oyeyemi wields her words with economy and grace, and she rounds out her story with an inventive plot and memorable characters.

An unusual audiobook deserves distinctive performers, and this one deserves a blue ribbon for its fascinating efforts on both fronts. After a striking opener involving a rat catcher and a daring escape, Susan Bennett, as Boy, the first narrator, grabs the listener and never lets go, for better or worse. Bennett's tone has a paradoxically vulnerable edge that suits the character. Later, Boy's daughter, Bird, takes over the story, and narrator Carra Patterson has her turn to shine. Both performers create vibrant, memorable voices for their characters as the twists of the story wind beguilingly into one's ears, demanding one's full attention. The story itself has strengths and weakness, but the audiobook is certainly worth a listen. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine