Sarah Willis The Sound of Us

The Sound of Us

Sarah Willis

Berkley, Jun 2005, $23.95

ISBN: 0425203026

In Cleveland, fortyish Alice Marlowe lives life alone except for her cat Sampson. She dates, ahs friends, and her parents still live in Columbus, but the sign language interpreter expects she will die alone. That has been her feelings since her twin brother died Vince, who still "converses" with her.

In the middle of the night the phone rings. On the other end is a very young sounding voice desperately asking for Aunt Teya. Alice informs her she dialed the wrong number. The frightened kid hangs up. Alice worried about the girl uses 69 to insure the kid is safe, but instead learns the child's mommy has not come home in quite a while; Alice tries Teya's number only gets a message. Unable to leave six years old Larissa by herself, Alice coaxes the child into giving her the address even as she calls the police. They bond, but the child has turned mute since foster home placement. Alice applies to become her foster mother, which she succeeds in doing, but worries how lonely she will be when the mother of her beloved Larissa returns.

Sarah Willis writes a fabulous inspirational tale that focuses on everyone's needs to love and be loved regardless of ethnicity, race, religion, sexual preference or other divisive isms. The storyline grips the audience from the moment Larissa dials the wrong number and continually provides the reader with an inside look at the soul of Alice and through her that of Larissa and the missing mother. Mindful of Losing Isaiah, THE SOUND OF US is a strong thought provoking tale.

Harriet Klausner