THE LIFE OF OBJECTS

In 1938, Beatrice dreams of escaping her provincial Irish village and her emotionally distant parents. When given the chance to move to Berlin to work for the wealthy Metzenburgs, she leaves almost immediately, staying in Germany for the duration of the war. Cassandra Campbell narrates with a girlish Irish lilt, which perfectly projects Beatrice's naivete when she escapes to the Continent and is awestruck by the lives of the rich. Unfortunately, as the deprivations and shocking realities of war build up, Campbell's performance maintains its air of innocence, a tone that fails to reflect Beatrice's maturation and exposure to brutality. Although Campbell's strong characterizations and realistic accents augment the listener's connection to the story, her Irish inflections are uneven, causing Beatrice's lilt to fade in and out. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2013]