When artist Elaine Risley returns to Toronto for a retrospective exhibit, she faces more than the ramifications of her professional career; the city is haunted by the ghosts of her past. When not working on the show, Elaine reflects on her difficult childhood, recalling it from both an adult perspective and that of the girl she was. Narrator Kimberly Farr gives the mature woman a slightly jaded, sometimes nostalgic tone, perfect for the artist who is coping with the unexpected results of fame. When the story shifts in time, Farr adjusts her inflections to reflect the innocent 8-year-old Elaine, who becomes hardened after a friend's betrayal and, later, after a failed first marriage. Listeners appreciate these aural cues as Elaine combs her memories for the keys to self-understanding. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
With the continuing success of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale adaptation and the excitement over the forthcoming sequel The Testaments, arriving in September 2019, interest in Margaret Atwood’s books are at a fever pitch. And while the dystopian tale will undoubtedly be the book that defines Margaret Atwood’s life, she has written many more books of note—all of […]
Today marks the paperback release of Anthony Breznican’s Brutal Youth, which received a starred review from Library Journal and extraordinary blurbs from such heavy hitters as Stephen King and Gillian Flynn. Youth is an emotionally devastating book that centers on bullying at a Catholic High School in the 1990s, and the heartbreaking friendships forged out of that fire. A Entertainment Weekly who reports behind-the-scenes film news, Mr. Breznican graciously found […]