Summer

Confronting one's past is a common theme in movies and literature of the 1990's. Writing in 1916, Edith Wharton mixed this theme with summer romance to craft the story of a young couple. The heroine is a small-town librarian, set in the Berkshires. No contemporary librarian would identify with Charity Royal as she disdainfully crochets lace in a disorderly room full of musty books. Reader Grace Conlin distinguishes both men's and women's voices easily, using hushed, intimate tones to convey the sweetness of the romance. Yet an ephemeral quality in her delivery casts a shadow of reality on the story and reminds the listener that seasons change. D.W.K. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

As a summer full of romance draws to a close, a young woman discovers the heartbreak that autumn ushers in. Lorna Raver's narration masterfully tells the story of the rebellious but genuine Charity Royall. Raver's reading is thoughtful, capturing the warm emotions of the heroine while keeping with the slower pace of Wharton's depiction of the setting. In SUMMER, Wharton diverges from her usual focus on the New York elite, instead setting the story in rural New England. Raver makes the inhabitants of the small town come alive by using the rural dialects in her vocal characterizations. Her attention to dialect and tone absorbs the elements of Wharton's novel that make it authentically American. D.M.W. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

There is no one like Edith Wharton to explore the complexities of human relationships, and narrator Laurel Lefkow is an excellent guide to that exploration. This audiobook features Charity Royall, a young woman who is struggling against society's constraints as she tries to develop her own sense of self. When she becomes caught up in an inappropriate relationship with a man of questionable character, society's rules come crashing down on her. Lefkow is a steady narrator with a lovely placid voice. Her tone works well with Wharton's prose, and her pacing fits the audiobook's mood. Dialogue is convincing, and special consideration is given to Charity herself: She is the ideal blend of innocent victim and sassy iconoclast. This performance is a treat for all listeners. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine