THE THIN PLACE

Varennes is a fictional town in upstate New York where the rules of space and time are suspended and miraculous things occur. Kathryn Davis gets inside her characters' humanity, innocence, and terrible secret evils, exposing the humor and tragedy in each life. Shelly Frasier's quiet, unassuming narration allows Davis's graceful images to cast their spell. Listeners are treated to a poetic landscape, with waking daydream the primary reality. Frasier handles the voices of dogs, cats, beaver, and lichen as calmly and matter-of-factly as she does those of preteen girls and ancient women. Asking the big questions and offering truths most people would rather avoid, Davis's story brings imaginations to tingling life. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 06]