(Read by Adjoa Andoh; Penguin Audio; five hours and 19 minutes; $21; only at as a download.)
Heartbreak is at the core of these adult-themed stories in which family is the focus, be they realistic vignettes or a dark fairy tale featuring feuding gods. Lesley Nneka Arimah sets her beautifully written tales in Nigeria and the United States, choosing themes in which relationships, often between mothers and daughters, are key. Climate change, untimely death, and a haunting are all themes, including an especially eerie tale in which girls must care for creepy dolls for a year before they are considered ready for a real baby. Adjoa Andoh, a British actress, offers up various voices and lyrical African accents that are more realistic than her American accents, which sound strained. Grade: B+
