THE REBEL NUN

Marj Charlier's fictionalized memoir of Clotild, a sixth-century cloistered nun, is perfectly paired with narrator Kate Reading's transportive performance. Together, they create the personalities and lives of actual and imagined women who lived amid the complexities of early medieval society. When life becomes untenable at the convent, Clotild leads her fellow sisters along a perilous route for aid. Reading's seemingly effortless ability to portray everyone from pompous ecclesiastical figures to gentle novitiates enriches the emotional fabric of their journey. As events escalate, Clotild's complicated relationship with Christianity and her pagan heritage intensifies. Bishop Maroveus's and Abbess Lebover's combative, haughty tones further align listeners' with the beleaguered nuns at every juncture. Reading gives voice to the silenced women's courage, sisterhood, and heart. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2021]