A FAR COUNTRY

Young Isabel is sent to the city to live with a cousin. In a humble and naïve way, she has no understanding of how poor she and her dirt-farming family are. She sets off, hoping, at least, to join her brother, who moved to the city earlier, but, upon arrival, she discovers he's gone missing. Her quest for her brother keeps her going as she learns the strange ways of the city, from its class struggles to its resentment for migrants like her. Anne Twomey presents the story in a steady, methodical manner that lends elegance to Isabel and her surroundings. While more variation could have been used to better differentiate the minor characters, Twomey is successful in her gentle shaping of Isabel on her journey. M.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]