MRS. EVERYTHING

Listeners hear about the lives of two sisters through a whimsical performance by Ari Graynor and Beth Malone. Jo, an athlete and aspiring writer, and Bethie, an elegant socialite, grew up in a Jewish household in Detroit during the 1950s. However, their lives drastically changed after they experienced traumatic events, including sexual assault and issues relating to sexual identity. Jo becomes a young mother living in Connecticut, and Bethie turns to the hippie free-love movement of the '60s. Malone and Graynor put the listener in a dreamlike trance during the story's long flashbacks. The sisters' reflections are engaging, with clear expression of the emotions they felt during disappointing situations. Although both narrators sound quite similar, Jo and Bethie's perspectives and experiences are unique and easily distinguishable. G.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019]