THE HOUSE OF HAWTHORNE

Robuck's historical fiction frequently tells the stories of the talented, and mostly unsung, women behind some of our most famous men. In this work, she focuses on Sophia Peabody, who was an accomplished artist before her marriage to author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Narrator Mary Kowal's clarity and pacing are strong in her delivery of Sophia's story, and the author's use of the first person brings intimacy and authenticity to the tale. However, an overabundance of flowery prose has Kowal's Sophia gushing over landscape descriptions, private moments with her husband, and everything in between. The dialogue is stilted and wooden, and Kowal's vain attempts at voice differentiation, especially for the men, are distracting. Robuck offers some interesting detail, and Kowal is enthusiastic, but ultimately this audiobook is disappointing. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2015]