Fascia

By: Ashley Murray

Narrated by: Shea Hall, Liam Singer, Austin Milne, MaSovaida Salemo Morgan, Anna Castelaz

Fascia is the debut collection of short fiction by Ashley Donielle Murray. Like the tissues binding the heart to its arteries, the stories in Murray's collection describe the threads, sometimes thin, sometimes strong, that connect daughter to father, husband to wife, and ourselves to our own histories.

Each story is its own quiet revelation and has the ability to bind the reader to this story long after it's been heard.

©2009 Ashley Donielle Murray (P)2013 Jeremy Young

a mix that keeps the recording fresh.

AudioBook Review
Stars: Overall: 4 Narration; 4 Story 5

I’m an admitted fan of short stories, I enjoy the format, and I do very much appreciate the layering and complexity that emerge in a well-crafted story. Ashley Murray has managed to bring relationships to light with her clever crafting with emotionally enticing settings and events.

Produced with inclusions of original music, this is an audiobook unlike many that I have heard: personally while I enjoyed the music I did find it was emotionally invasive at times: guiding an emotional response from the listener, when in truth the writing does stand beautifully on its own encouraging that response. Some will, however, appreciate the mix of spoken work and music, and find the unique presentation more to their taste.

Narration-wise, the stories were competently performed the narrators took care to enunciate and not over-dramatize voicing or emotion, and I particularly appreciated the mixture of male and female narrators used, providing a mix that keeps the recording fresh. This is a production that felt very unlike others: I can only attribute that to the fact that focus and production were from a musically-inclined ear, which added to the lyrical presentation above and beyond the author’s words.

The writing here, for a debut offering is quite unique and very unusual. Ashley Murray has a style that flows and uses a rhythm mixes an almost poetic feeling pace with the quicker and faster interior dialog that is constantly running in your head If you are quiet enough to hear it. With the ability to craft a lovely sentence, and the gentle layering of elements to build a complete setting and word picture for the listener, this is a talent that deserves to be heard and seen by many.

Overall: this was a clever version, and I can see many people appreciating the audiobook version of this collection, both for the words and the beautiful flute melodies that wind throughout the recording.

I received an AudioBook version of the title from the producers via AudioBook Jukebox. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Beautiful!

Would you consider the audio edition of Fascia to be better than the print version?

This book is a MUST to listen to. The stories are layered and complex. Because there are several narrators, the audio version of the book separates and brings texture to each individual story in a way that is not possible in print. Also, the music, by Bird Radio, adds emotion and momentum to the stories. The music is beautiful. It is unusual to have such impressive music in an audiobook.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite story is Sweetwater. It is the story of a woman empowered, strong enough to leave the life long love of her life because she has grown away from him.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

These narrators, I believe, have not done this before.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would listen to it, twice, in one sitting if I could!

Any additional comments?

I believe that this is an innovative use of audiobook format, with the musical interludes between the stories, and some chapters. I find this format to be wonderfully entertaining. If the music enhances the story-telling, done well, as it is here, I enjoy the listening even more completely than with other books. I am so appreciative of this format.

Like listening to a friend sharing stories

Disclosure: I received this audiobook from the publisher in return for an honest review

Aptly titled, Fascia is a collection of short stories that examine connections. It's the kind of audiobook that's best listened to sitting in front of the fireplace with a hot cup of tea on a snowy day. The stories are interesting and prompted me to slow down, unwind, and listen contemplatively. This audio version includes lovely musical interludes which further reinforced the desire to take my time, listen closely, and not rush through the book. The narration is well-done and unlike some audiobooks, never overplayed or overly dramatic. It simply felt like listening to a friend sharing a variety of interesting stories. Recommended.