Jell-O Girls

Author and narrator Allie Rowbottom's family has enjoyed several generations of privilege due to an ancestor's purchase of the patent for Jell-O. Part memoir, part family history, Rowbottom's writings weave together a story that imparts how, along with benefiting from the riches gleaned from Jell-O sales, the family has suffered more than a century of pain and loss. Though the story is deeply personal, Rowbottom's performance is devoid of emotion. Even during the harrowing scenes depicting her mother's illnesses and cancer treatments Robottom gives a monotone delivery, leaving the listener feeling detached from the account. Overall, the audio production adds little to the text. A.L.S.M. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine