The Crimson Crown

A sapphic origin story for the evil queen from the classic fairy tale “Snow White.” Ayleth, who later becomes Snow White’s infamous evil stepmother, was once an insecure young witch with a demanding mother. In a world where witches have been forced into hiding, Ayleth lives in a sheltered coven, where the witches work to guard the Veil, a magical force that protects the kingdom from evil forces. Though she is the daughter of the coven’s leader, Ayleth’s magic has yet to manifest, and she fears she cannot fulfill her responsibilities. She decides to find the legendary Bloodstones, which are rumored to hold the ancestral witches’ power. Her dangerous quest is further complicated when she encounters Jacquetta, a witch who once broke her heart. Narrator Emily Woo Zeller offers a solid performance, although her somewhat ponderous pacing takes away from the story’s momentum. Zeller’s voices for the main characters are distinct, but listeners may have to rely on context clues to distinguish between secondary characters.