LENA Florida Folk Magic Stories, Book 3

Holly Palance energetically narrates a story of magical realism set in Florida. When Eulalie Jenkins is forced off the road--to silence her criticism of local racists--she shape-shifts into an alligator. Her cat, Lena, a witness, survives. Palance's Lena tells Adelaide, Eulalie's daughter, who possesses some of her mother's powers, about the accident using thought speech. Plainspoken Adelaide gathers friends and church members to confront the KKK, many of whom are local officials. Spirited descriptions of the locale, food, and moonshine transport listeners into the evocative setting. Palance appropriately recounts the Klan's murderous activities; the satisfaction of finding gutsy Pollyanna, a white witness; and the joy of Eulalie's return. Campbell and Palance present a sober but hopeful look at slowly improving race relations in the 1950s. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019]