PAINTING THE LIGHT

Shipwrecks and portraits, bicycles and women's suffrage--all these enter into the plot of this excellent summer title as the audiobook transports listeners to Martha's Vineyard, 1898. Ida Russell Pease is an artist and sheep farmer who is struggling with stifling spousal and societal expectations as she copes with the grief of her past. Narrator Eva Kaminsky is an excellent performer; her voice is clear, and her pace and dialogue transitions are outstanding. A few moments don't quite fit into the scope of this expansive story, but they don't detract from the audiobook's appeal. Listeners will want to know what happens to Ida as she navigates significant developments in her life, and Kaminsky's confident, multifaceted narration enhances her story from start to finish. L.B.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2021]