HAPPY HOUSE

Sara Morsey is the ideal narrator for this 1920s novel, which is often compared to Louisa May Alcott's books about young women as they enter womanhood. Two recent college graduates who share the same name, Anne Leavitt, switch identities when Aunt Sabrina invites her estranged niece for a visit to Happy House. Morsey deftly distinguishes each carefree girl, the bitter aunt, and the villagers who live on North Hero, a Vermont island. Morsey's best portrayal is that of sweet Aunt Millie, who's been "hidden" since a youthful accident. Another highlight is the delightful letters pretend Anne writes to the real Anne. Listeners will enjoy the accents and vocabulary of the time while hearing Happy House finally live up to its name. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2015]