ON AGATE HILL

Smith’s sweeping tale of Civil War orphan Molly Petree is told from several viewpoints, each represented by its own narrator. Each new voice brings to life a turning point in Molly’s life. Molly’s early days at Agate Hill plantation end when her mysterious benefactor, Simon Black, sends her to boarding school. The school’s evil director, Mariah Snow, is read expertly by Linda Stephens. Molly’s teaching career takes her to the North Carolina mountains, where she meets and marries Jacky Jarvis. Alice Gerrard sets their tumultuous union to music. Her folk tunes and the strength of the narrators portray Molly’s story so articulately that it is difficult to imagine that the print version can compare to this remarkable audio. J.J.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]