LAVENDER BLUE

Narrator Julie S. Halpern’s clear diction and strong voice capture the determination and defiance of protagonist Jeannette St. John, who, for the cause of the Confederacy, surrenders her morals and flesh to a mercenary French sea captain. Halpern creates a crisp and dramatic listening experience, but at times the intensity is sustained for too long without modulation. While the voices of the protagonist and the Frenchman are distinct and powerful, the voices of the other characters sometimes melt into one another. Halpern’s French and Spanish accents bear a heavy American accent that makes it difficult to comprehend which foreign language is being suggested at any given moment. M.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2014]