RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE

Anna Paquin's solid narration of this first-ever production of Rita Mae Brown's classic 1973 coming-of-age novel creates an immediate impression of the irrepressible Molly Bolt. The novel's pragmatic heroine remains true to herself throughout. From her hardscrabble childhood through her college years, the young woman owns her sexuality and forges a singular path. Paquin's down-to-earth delivery creates emotional dimensions for Molly's friends and former lovers, especially her cousin, Leonard, and adoptive mother, Carrie. The contentious parent-child relationship between Molly and Carrie is captured in sharp tones. Molly's determination to live honestly sounds all the more apparent whenever she is challenged. Her search for a lesbian community eventually leads her to 1960s New York City. This engaging production allows listeners to fully experience Brown's seminal novel. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2022]