Ladies of the Night

With a range of well-crafted character voices, extravagant and well-placed tooth sucking, and a gorgeous singing voice, narrator Jemeni sweeps Althea Prince's short story collection from the page to soon-to-be-rapt listeners. Most of these dozen tales are set in Antigua, and Jemeni makes the native accent both compelling and accessible. These are stories of mothers and daughters, whores and mistresses, wives and disloyal husbands, and how these interconnected relationships can ground the individuals within them as well as disturb their peace of mind. Prince, a black Canadian writer and professor, deserves her reputation as a keen and sensual storyteller; Jemeni proves just as astute in her narration. F.M.R.G. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine