MAN MADE MONSTERS

Two Native Americans narrate this short story collection in the Indigenous horror vein. The titular monsters are both supernatural --vampires, werewolves, ghosts--and all too human--a brutish boyfriend, a predatory medical system. The stories span two centuries and include members of a sprawling Cherokee family. Narrators DeLanna Studi--Cherokee Nation--and Lane Factor --Creek-Seminole and Caddo--have impressive acting resumes. Sadly, neither shines as a narrator. Studi struggles with phrasing and is often distractingly errant in her placement of emphasis. Factor is even less successful, rushing his delivery and frequently swallowing syllables and entire short words. (Listeners may want to slow down playback speed for his parts.) This 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Award honoree is ill served by this audiobook. V.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2024]