DRESSING UP FOR THE CARNIVAL

These 21 stories are read by eight capable performers, who lend them an appealing variety and sometimes make them seem more like mini-plays than stories. The stories, which include multiple identities and points of view, are at times complex and surreal (a woman is struck by a falling harp, a country imposes a tax on windows). These works will best serve faithful Shields fans who have read them before and who will no doubt be attracted to their occasional ambiguity and lack of resolution. Note, the order of the stories as read does not match the list on the packaging. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]