THE WRETCHED OF MUIRWOOD

In the first of Wheeler's Wretched trilogy, Kate Rudd does well at helping listeners imagine the dystopian world of 13-year-old Lia. She's a "wretched"--an unwanted orphan--who is determined to risk what little she has to help her friend, the injured Squire Colvin, get away from the sheriff. In a place where words are so precious that they're written in gold and only the wealthy are taught to read, Lia risks everything for a chance to change her circumstances. This arresting story offers attention-grabbing characters and rich symbolism. S.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]