WOMEN IN LOVE

Ursula and Gudrun Brangwyn hold out for the perfect mates, and the sisters’ self-absorption only deepens when two men insinuate themselves into their lives. The paramours’ conceit matches the sisters’ own. Set in post-World War I England, Lawrence’s story features the kind of moral freedom that is taken for granted today. Vanessa Benjamin offers a credible account, stretching the limits of excess with control. The suitors’ dialects suffer occasional inconsistencies, but the sisters and other women speak with distinct characteristics. Benjamin butchers German pronunciation on a regular basis, while managing a credible portrayal of French and Italian dialogue. Listeners not familiar with those languages will find their frequent use, without translation, irritating. R.P.L. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 03]