THE FORGOTTEN BOOK

When the headmaster's daughter finds an old enchanted diary in an abandoned part of the castle, she can't imagine the powers within the pages. This contemporary tale, inspired by PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, is full of magical realism. The setting of a boarding school in a German castle complements the fairy-tale quality of the story. Narrator Erin Spencer's delivery is uneven, with inconsistent accents and numerous nonstandard pronunciations that diminish the story's magic. Additionally, the decision to give the teenaged Emma an undeniably American voice, despite several textual indications that she has resided in Europe for most--if not all--of her life, is perplexing. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2018]