THE SKULL A Tyrolean Folktale

Fairuza Balk expertly differentiates the characters in this retelling of a mysterious Tyrolean folktale. From the beginning, Balk captures Otilla’s youth and curiosity. Her courage becomes clear when she meets the other character in this story, a skull. Balk’s noble tone and accent fit him, and the way she expresses his approachability transforms a typically scary icon into a friend. All is affirmed by Balk’s rendering of Otilla and the skull’s warm dialogue. When a skeleton hunts the skull, Balk makes its menace evident. But calm and clever Otilla is full of aplomb. The use of music and sound effects—heavy, regal strains, along with a whistling wind and a crackling fire—befit the setting and story. The author’s afterword discusses how he transformed the original tale. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2023 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]