Adult Fiction
Lady Macbeth.
By Ava Reid. Read by Imani Jade Powers.
2024. 9hr. Books on Tape, DD (9780593907115).
Reid’s spin on the Scottish Play takes the perspective of Roscille, the 17-year-old second bride of Lord Macbeth. She quickly learns that while “her father sold her as a pleasure slave,” she could use her cunning mind and bewitching eyes to carve out a place of value for herself in the brutal court. Powers’ English-accented narration of this dark and atmospheric historical fantasy captures the brooding mood of the setting and the ingenuity of Roscille as she plots to protect herself and secure success for her husband. For the much older Macbeth, she lowers and sharpens her tone and takes on just enough of a Scottish burr to remind listeners of the setting. Her voicing of the trio of witches locked in the dungeon is as chilling as Reid’s description of their lank bodies; their “eyes are milky white, with mortal blindness.” Powers’ resonant timbre and practiced cadence create a lulling trance that is ideal for this bloody and memorable tale. —Heather Booth
Pink Glass Houses.
By Asha Elias. Read by a full cast.
2024. 8.5hr. HarperAudio, DD (9780063312821).