Hannaham’s (
Delicious Foods) latest opens as Carlotta Mercedes is granted parole after 20 years in a men’s prison. In short, a trans woman transitions from incarceration to release just in time for the Fourth of July weekend in the now unfamiliar Brooklyn neighborhood of her youth. Carlotta wants to reconcile with her son and reacquaint herself with her family, all while not violating the conditions of her parole. Her homecoming is a chaotic mess, but she faces each situation with optimism and figures her way through it. Dual readers Flame Monroe and Hannaham make the shifting voice and perspectives easy to follow. Hannaham is the star of the show, voicing Carlotta as a resilient, energetic delight who holds surprisingly few grudges after years of abuse while serving time for a crime she did not commit, knowing that it will take everything she’s got to maintain her freedom. Listeners are privy not only to what she says, but also to what she thinks.
VERDICT This masterpiece of absurdist humor uses the narration to elevate the text and is highly recommended for public library collections.
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