Canadian series Slings & Arrows is must-viewing for anyone with a weakness for theater. Each season showcases the staging of a Shakespeare play that finds its themes oddly paralleled in the current cast’s shenanigans. An entertaining blend of broad comedy and poignant life lessons played by a masterful cast.
Cathleen of Fiction/AV/Teen Services recommends One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni:
No one noticed the first rumble. Lost in thought while waiting in line for visas, a diverse group of nine individuals had no idea their fates were entwined. When the earthquake hits, they find themselves trapped in the basement of the foreign consulate with no escape, little food, dwindling oxygen, and water beginning to seep in through the floor. It isn’t long before tensions lead them to turn on each other, until one suggests they distract themselves by each sharing an important story — one amazing thing — from his or her own life. The tales are heartbreaking, inspiring, and vulnerable, and they illustrate the transcendent power of story as well as the quiet miracles that have the power to transform our lives.
The Flight of Gemma Hardy transports the story of Jane Eyre to twentieth-century Iceland and Scotland, successfully honoring the source material while still offering a few surprises. The graceful, lilting narration of reader Davina Porter perfectly renders Gemma’s progression from neglected waif to independent young woman.
Being a telepath is a distinct advantage when you work as a police interrogator, but being an ex-addict means you get questioned, too – even when you foresee your own death. Clean by Alex Hughes is an escapist adventure perfect for when you need to get out of your own head.
Anyone who has felt the pain of an abrupt break from an inseparable friend will empathize with Pen, Will, and Cat in Falling Together. A plea to reunite after a six-year silence prompts a life-changing journey, one that is explored with characteristic insight and eloquence by author Marisa de los Santos.
In the mind-bending Mirage, Gregory Peck finds himself in a blacked-out office building with no memory of the past two years. The mysterious Diane Baker seems to know him well, and he hires PI Walter Matthau to discover why sinister gunmen are shadowing him. Suave ‘60s storytelling with a Hitchcockian feel.
Calling all Baker Street Irregulars! Anthony Horowitz’s The House of Silk, a new exploit of Sherlock Holmes, lives up to the high standard of the original stories. Derek Jacobi is perfect as the voice of Dr. Watson, and the twisty mystery is one of the most complex and harrowing yet.
Vocal dynamo Kristin Chenoweth returns to her Oklahoma roots with Some Lessons Learned. Tap your boots with the spirited tunes (“What Would Dolly Do?”), be touched by the sweeter ones (“Fathers and Daughters” – destined to be a wedding favorite), and replay the showstoppers (“I Was Here”) in this vibrant new release.
Imagine if The Incredibles had a grown daughter without any superpowers, and you’ll have an idea of Celia West’s life. After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn is a fast-paced, sarcastic adventure of one woman with extraordinary family issues. Great escapist fun that’s perfect for shaking up your usual reading.
Sita Sings the Blues is a flash of genius that paints the story of Ramayana with 1920s early jazz. Artist Nina Paley intercuts a modern American break-up story with Hindu mythology and brings them to life in an unusual blend of animation styles. Bold, brilliant, and weirdly charming.
