Review:
Hope Bay by Nicole Pluss
Read by Kellie Jones. Louis Braille Audio, 2005
61/2 hours, 6 CDs
ISBN 0 7320 3065 X
11+ Hope Bay is a sensitive portrayal of two young girls. In
parallel stories the listener learns the story of Olga, who has to
escape from the Nazis in war torn Rotterdam, and Possum, a young girl
who feeds the dolphins with an old Olga, in the calm water of Hope Bay.
The story deals with issues of freedom, conservation, death, migration,
love and survival in a thought provoking and moving way.
Kellie Jones has a pleasant voice, which is very easy to listen to, and
her narration is excellent. She gives the young Olga a slight Dutch
accent to separate the World War 2 time period from the present. The
listener has no difficulty sorting out who is speaking and when the
narration is taking place. Jones is able to bring vividly to life the
enthralling story of the young Olga and her dedication to Stella, the
Jewish refugee, and the young German boy who falls in love with her.
The narration is a sympathetic portrayal of Possum’s grief but manages
at the same time to let the listener into the secrets that Olga and
Stella have carried to Australia.
This is a reading that remains in the listener’s memory because its
quality brings to life the humanity in Nicole Pruss’ heart wringing
tale.
Pat Pledger
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Consulting, 2007