EMMA A Modern Retelling

Fans of Austen seeking any new retelling of her works will be well satisfied with Susan Lyons's performance, which is calm and light, with tongue neatly planted in cheek. However, author McCall Smith seems to have lost his own tongue in attempting to emulate Austen's. The material is not as rich one wishes from a marriage of the two authors. The Scottish (in McCall Smith's casting) governess Miss Taylor is more vivacious and strong-willed than her pupil and far more entertaining. Nonetheless, Lyons does make us care about the Emma in this retelling, even if she's more a hapless 20-something still living with her parents than the headstrong yet lovable girl of Austen's original. K.W. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2015]