Saturday, July 26, 2014

Four women, four fates, one mystical tapestry

What a lovely new review for the audiobook edition of Twisted:

"Four women, four fates, one mystical tapestry"
Where does Twisted rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Among the audiobooks I've heard so far, Twisted ranks in my top twenty percent, primarily because of the melding of narrator and story, but also because I love Poznansky's forays into the mythos of the Old Testament.

What other book might you compare Twisted to and why?
I can compare Twisted only to Uvi Povnasky's other works about Biblical characters and times. The author is creating her own canon, bit by careful bit. I'd call this book magical realism, but it isn't quite that because the characters are not of this time: it's a passionate recasting of Biblical legend for womens' perspectives, with a helping of honesty thrown in for good measure. These four stories feature female protagonists so real you want to touch them, so bold that their unapologetic and unforgettable nature will haunt you long after the narrator finishes telling you each tale.

What does Heather Jane Hogan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Heather Jane Hogan brings a finely wrought integrity to her readings, disappearing into each character in turn. Having these stories read to you allows the narrator to characterize each story differently; and different these feminine perspectives are, one form the other. Hogan breathes voice into each tale without ever overplaying her hand.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
If I could, I'd have listened to each of the four stories straight through.

Any additional comments?
The narrated story "I Am What I Am" alone is worth the price of this quartet of tales. As the character searches for her identity in a word of symbol, myth, and metaphor, so do you. Job's wife has something to say to all women of every age, and does, and narrator Hogan makes sure you hear the message. Accompanied and enhanced by three other tales, I, Woman...The Hollow...and The One Who Never Leaves, this quartet transports you into a way of apprehending life that is different from your own, so that you see all through a rarefied artistic sensibility. Bravo, author and narrator!


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