THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

This classic story of love in Paris is introduced by Annie Sargent, whose youthful voice acts as guide for the contemporary listener. After a brief pause, B.J. Harrison takes up the narration of Hugo's lengthy story of 1482 Paris, when Louis XI was king. Smoothly and emotively, Harrison narrates the story of Quasimodo, Notre Dame's bell ringer, and the charming gypsy, Esmeralda. Long, sweeping descriptions of the Gothic architecture of Paris, the true focus of Hugo's opus, interrupt the love story. Harrison shifts his pace as he delivers the passages featuring the beautiful edifices of Paris, adding a tone of wonder and delight. Harrison seems to become the author, full of passion for the City of Light and the characters who inhabit his story. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2020]