IMMORTAL

Emily Durante conveys the loneliness and exhilaration of Evie Johnson, a student at Wildcliffe Abbey School. Evie quickly develops a secret friendship with a local boy named Sebastian. For most of the story, listeners will ponder the delicious question of whether Sebastian wants to date Evie—or kill her? Meanwhile, a ghost from 1882 leads Evie to mystical powers. Durante evokes this haunting story, which takes place on the English moors, with quaint voicings for the old-fashioned spirits. Using a clipped pace, she smoothes over predictable story elements and a sentimental romance. While Durante successfully plays up the story’s mystic rituals, numerous thumps and clicks, indicative of poor sound editing, will distract listeners from this otherwise engaging tale. C.A. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2010]