QUEENS OF A FALLEN WORLD The Lost Women of St. Augustine's Confessions

Georgina Sutton demonstrates the enviable, hard-to-define narrator's ability to fully deliver the author's intentions in this engaging examination of St. Augustine (354-430 CE) and the four women in his life. Through her intelligent, easy command of the sense of the text, expressed through intonation and emphasis, she brings understanding and sympathy to Cooper's discussion of Augustine's mother, St. Monica; his concubine; his betrothed; and Justina, his wife. Sutton's strong voice and cultured British accent make listening pleasant. While her rendering of historical passages is clear and mostly well paced, certain sections that are heavy with names and incidents, especially about Justina, don't give listeners quite enough time to absorb the material. But, overall, Sutton provides a smart, sympathetic performance of a thoughtful text. W.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2023]