PAINTED HORSES

Julia Whelan narrates this modern-day Western with panache and strength. She finds unique voices for its young heroine, Catherine Lemay, an archaeologist; her two assistants, Jack Allen and 17-year-old Native American Miriam, and a mysterious older man named John H. These carefully drawn characters tell a story of struggle between cultural preservation and modern development. A dam is needed to generate desperately needed hydroelectric power in Montana, but its potential location is sacred to the Crow peoples. Whelan delivers the stark descriptions of Montana with feeling and draws the listener into the atmosphere. She provides deep empathy for Catherine as she makes a choice that will affect many lives, especially her own. S.C.A. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2014]