A LAODICEAN

Narrator Anna Bentinck's gentle tone and easy cadence complement Thomas Hardy's leisurely prose. The story centers on a talented architect, George Somerset, who falls in love with a wealthy yet indecisive young woman. Bentinck energetically gives voice to Hardy's characters. Somerset speaks kindly and emphatically in contrast to the mysterious William Dare, who speaks in an ominous tone with a slight Indian accent. Bentinck masterfully provides a variety of accents for minor characters, easily transitioning between rustic villagers and polite society. Her excellent delivery of narrative and vocal characterizations wakes up this lesser-known Hardy novel. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2019]