WILL DO MAGIC FOR SMALL CHANGE

Tamika Katon-Donegal and Andre Santana narrate a complex family drama in a unique mash-up of magic and Afrofuturism. In the 1980s, as Cinnamon Jones struggles with the recent suicide of her brother, she's reading a book he gave her about the journey of a West African warrior woman and an alien who perform in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Cinnamon discovers a connection between the book and her own family history. Katon-Donegal shoulders the bulk of the narration with aplomb. Shifting amid a variety of accents and characters, she anchors attention to the imaginative and empathetic tale and imbues the story with heart and wonder. The dual narration in two time frames, coupled with the story's compelling rhythm, provides a sense of discovery as evocative phrases seem to pop in listeners' ears. J.M.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]