THE SCRIBE OF SIENA

Cassandra Campbell's performance transports listeners to medieval Italy as this story straddles modern-day and fourteenth-century Siena. As neurosurgeon Beatrice Trovato is transported from the present back to the Middle Ages, Campbell's well-considered diction and vocal timing create suspense, while her Italian accents for various characters and place names, though not always perfectly accurate, bring the story to life. Though this time-travel story requires a certain suspension of disbelief due to a number of convenient coincidences, its exploration of medieval life and love is compelling. Campbell's narration is an engrossing complement to the story, helping the listener to vividly imagine life as it was in that long-ago time. S.E.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2017]