Love and Lament

Mary Bet Hartsoe faces challenges in North Carolina during the time between the Civil War and WWI. Narrator Christine Williams keeps the plot moving with a well-paced delivery and adds subtle characterizations that give depth to the story. Williams's reading style allows the listener to connect with the lead character as she strives to carve out a life in a changing world. Taking a matter-of-fact, rather than self-pitying, approach to her character is key to the listener's empathy. The storyline, combined with an accomplished narration, works on two levels, both following the personal journey of the lead character and giving the listener an insight into the very different lives of people who lived a hundred years ago. K.J.P. (c) AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine