HAIL MARY Stories

Nigerian author Funmi Fetto's narration anchors this wide-ranging collection of short stories with a steady, immersive presence. She modulates her voice to reflect the unique emotional terrain of each character. Fetto makes it easy to distinguish between Ifeoma's escalating tension as she tries to leave her abusive husband, Nkechi's cautious resilience, and Riliwa's evolving sense of displacement. Fetto shifts fluidly between characters' regional dialects and social classes, enabling listeners to follow shifts in circumstance without confusion. Her tone varies between reflective passages and scenes of conflict, underscoring the emotional undercurrents of each story without drawing undue attention to them. The result is a performance that carries the emotional weight of each narrative. Fetto guides listeners through layered portrayals of contemporary Nigerian women with clarity and control. M.R. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2025]