NORTHANGER ABBEY

With her natural elegance, fine ear for the English language, and hint of mischief, Emma Thompson has the ideal voice to narrate this Jane Austen classic. The first to be written (1798) and the last to be published after Austen's death (1818), the gentle gothic satire concerns clergyman's daughter Catherine Morland, who is introduced to high society with all its manners, teas, and dances. Young up-and-coming British actors Ella Purnell and Jeremy Irvine play the star-crossed lovers and lead the ensemble in this full-cast production, which includes plenty of period music and sound effects such as the clinking of fine china. Still, it's Emma Thompson who will mesmerize listeners. She and Jane Austen make a perfect pair. B.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2017]