THE SCARLET LETTER

Katinka Wolf's voice resonates as if she were reading in a house owned by one of the story's historic characters, with the slightly cavernous echo lending an earthy and homespun feel to the text. The story of how rote religion and religiosity can betray true faith is penned expertly by Hawthorne. It appears less an attack on Christianity than on those who would take the name but not the responsibility. The abridgment is evenhanded and unforced. This is a story that should be heard more than once as its message may elude many contemporary readers. Wolf's meticulous performance helps to infuse the theme into the mind's eye of the listener. S.M.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]