ONCE UPON A DAY

With skill and empathy, Joyce Bean narrates the strange, compelling story of Jim and Dorothea, children raised in complete isolation from television, school, people, and computers. As young adults, they have little memory of their luxurious childhood in Hollywood. Now they live at "The Sanctuary," a thirty-five-acre ranch in New Mexico, which has become a locked haven since a home invasion left their mother near death. Bean's portrayal of their mother's painful recovery and her addiction to prescription drugs is realistic. With her versatile voice range, Bean's portrayal of Dorothea's frightened cries during the invasion is chilling. Her depiction of Jim's fear in the psychiatric ward is realistic. This one won't disappoint. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 06]