THE BOOK OF WITCHES An Anthology

A cast of nine takes turns narrating the short stories in this anthology about witches. Characters range from the traditional broom-riding and cauldron-stirring witch of European tradition to magical women of other cultures, techno witches, and modern depictions of a maiden, a mother, and a crone. Bahni Turpin’s and Anniwaa Buachie’s rich and powerful voices make for stand-out performances, ideal for impactful poems and hysterical witch-hunting mobs. Rainy Fields gives a one-note performance, perfect for a bubbly and innocent girl but nothing else. Johnathan McClain is far quieter and more muffled than the others, making his segments sound disjointed, and his accents can be a miss. Often one story will bleed into the next, with the same narrators and without a clear transition, which makes listening confusing. S.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2023]