A terrifying, heartbreaking story of interviews with women in Juarez about their fear of leaving the house, going to work, walking down the street. Almost unbearable: she listed the toddlers to elderly women who were raped, murdered, mutilated. A friend of mine lost 8 male relatives when their connected Juarez homes were invaded by gunmen more than 10 years ago, so this story was very close to home. A tremendously hard read. ( )

Chilling story of Las muertas de Juárez
Review of the Audible Originals audiobook adaption (2019) of the author's stage play

the way she spoke (the title is stylized in lower case letters) is a disorienting experience that does require extra concentration by the audience in order to follow the changing points-of-view in the story. This is more so in the audio version as I'm sure that the visual cues in the theatrical version would make a big difference. Overall, the play is staged at one remove from the material as it is introduced as if it is an actress sight-reading a play (which could very well be the author's own La Ruta (The Route) (2018), a work for several performers based on the same material for Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago). She begins with patter about her workday and other auditions and then during the reading will occasionally make remarks or observations to the author (who is silent).

The audition reading device serves to transform Gomez's earlier work into a one-person performance but also acts as a means to shield the audience from a direct portrayal of the horror of the story of the murdered and disappeared women of Juarez. Castillo has to play the several roles of the bantering actress, to act the roles of the various interviewees and then as the audience's proxy as she reacts to the material. It is a visceral and heart-wrenching performance and story.

the way she spoke was one of the free Audible Originals for members in the month of October 2019. ( )