PLAIN BAD HEROINES

Xe Sands gives a rich performance that accentuates the suspense of this modern gothic filled with wicked possibilities. The nonlinear story is told through the eyes of multiple generations of women associated with the Brookhants School for Girls. Sands's vocal style is well suited to this tale, which never blinks at breaking the fourth wall. Sands's matter-of-fact tone is wonderful as she weaves through generations of female romances with no mincing about the complete normalcy of such relationships. With a slight burr in her voice and nuanced changes in pacing and pitch, she smoothly shifts between eras and characters, creating an aura of mystery that lingers long after the last word. E.M.U. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]