HOUSE OF COTTON

Narrator Jeanette Illidge's impressive vocal versatility perfectly suits this audiobook. Magnolia's grandmother dies, leaving her alone at 19 with a predatory landlord and a job that pays poorly. When a white man offers her a strange but lucrative modeling job, Magnolia accepts and moves into his plantation-style house and funeral parlor. There, as Magnolia impersonates the dead, Illidge's numerous portrayals are realistically delivered. She reproduces the dramatic touches in the story with excellent results. Her portrayal of the ghost of Magnolia's grandmother is gravelly and coarse, and she immerses listeners in Magnolia's horror as it gradually falls apart in front of her. Emotionally connecting to characters who mask their true feelings, Illidge's performance should not be missed. A.K.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]