"More Bedtime Stories For Cynics," an Audible Original

"More Bedtime Stories For Cynics," is the second volume in an on-going series that presents deconstructions and modern takes on fairy tales.  Some are funny, some are thought-provoking, and none of them are meant for children.  Is the work worth a listen?  Read on to find out.

Pros

• It was free (with my Audible membership)
• The cast is packed with notable celebrities (e.g. Nick Offerman, Jane Lynch, Sir Patrick Stuart)
• Each of the stories is digestible, lasting no longer than 20 minutes
• A few of the stories are interesting trope deconstructions (e.g. the woman who is cursed to be a frog until she receives "true love's kiss")

Cons

• The sound effects are too loud, and are asked to do too much.  For example, in the "Wizard," story, the sound effects are supposed to convey particularly complex actions, but fail to do so.
• With regards to the, "Wizard," story: I want to give it the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it is a critique of people with a savior complex, or how the Hollywood depiction of, "Inner City life," doesn't reflect reality. On the other hand, it doesn't rise above the stereotypes often used when describing "Inner City kids," (e.g. that they are disruptive, criminal, etc).
• With regards to the, "Mother," story:I will give credit where credit is due: there is something unnerving about this story (likely the mild body horror).  On the other hand, I can't help but feel that the plot elements are contrived (e.g. "it was too dark in the clinic to see what she was signing,"), and the daughter's final reaction to her situation seem out of character based on her previous actions.  Ultimately, this story had the potential to be a potent discussion of aging, but instead comes across as ham-fisted.
• (Nit-Pick) The chapter names do not match up with the stories being told

Conclusion

I'm glad this was free, or I would have given "Bedtime Stories," a lower score.  I was hoping for critiques and deconstructions of bed time stories / fairy tales, and to a certain extent, this collection delivers.  The problem, though, is that there are just as many misses as there are hits, so I can't recommend paying for this work unless you are a super-fan of either the voice talent or writers.

Final Score: 
5/10