A WILDER SHORE The Romantic Odyssey of Fanny and Robert Louis Stevenson

Jeanette Illidge portrays the husband and wife featured in this dual biography equally well. She makes smooth transitions between the Scottish accent of Robert Louis Stevenson and the American accent of his stabilizing wife and muse, Fanny Van de Grift. The rapid shifts in accents become even more remarkable after the two meet in 1876. Accents can change within one sentence, and Illidge clearly differentiates narrative from quotations. Her careful delivery of details aids listeners in imagining the colorful scenes--whether they're French gardens or Samoan islands. Illidge's continual tracking of the principals' emotions and actions defines their resilient, albeit tumultuous, love despite Stevenson's chronic lung disease. Their unconventional relationship is continually contrasted with the era's restrictive norms. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2024]