ALCHEMY AND MEGGY SWANN

Karen Cushman again shows her gift for merging flawless research and a winning heroine. Katherine Kellgren matches her skill with an enthusiastic and engaging portrayal. Kellgren's perfect timing and wide range of accents take listeners directly into the heart of Elizabethan England. Heroine Meggy Swann is lame in leg but certainly not in intellect. Kellgren's high-spirited narration allows listeners to imagine a chaotic London in which actors, balladeers, and printers struggle to make a living. Kellgren is at ease with everything from period curses to the sentiments of a friendless child. As she portrays the strong-willed, sharp-tongued Meggy, she convinces listeners that the heroine will prevail over the limitations of her life and her times. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2011 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2010]