WHERE THE WILD LADIES ARE

Narrator Sarah Skaer's emotionally charged voice emboldens each story in this collection of traditional Japanese folktales retold from a feminist perspective. The new takes are darkly comedic and quirky. One story features a gossipy ghost who disapproves of hair removal, while in another a living woman is visited by a customer service representative from the afterlife. Skaer uses a wistful tone as a character recalls being unable to participate in the same activities as her classmates due to allergies. That tone audibly shifts as the character realizes her differences have created a keen sense of observation, which she views as a superpower. Skaer's dynamic narration is a double-edged sword that complements the stories' fantasy elements but exaggerates the awkwardness of some translated phrases. A.L.C. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2021]