AFTER OZ

Maria Ru-Djen narrates this thought-provoking story about what happens to Dorothy after she returns from Oz. In Sunbonnet, Kansas, everything is black and white. Dorothy's story describing where she's been--Oz's vivid colors, talking creatures, and good and bad witches-- along with her remorse over melting a witch, convince the townspeople that she's possessed by Satan. When the town's most hated woman, an old witch, is murdered, Dorothy is sent to the Topeka Insane Asylum. Ru-Djen's performance introduces two distinctive voices and perspectives. She heightens the town's sanctimonious, religious hysteria while staying cool and logical as scientist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford begins a murder investigation. Ru-Djen's tone of urgency keeps this cleverly imagined story vibrant. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2024]