FORTUNE'S ROCKS

With compassion and energy, Hughes reads the story of 16-year-old Olympia Biddeford's angst-laden, tragic affair with the charismatic John Haskell. The themes of forbidden love and coming of age, as well as teen pregnancy in turn-of-the-century New England, overshadow the additional issues of changes in women's lives and education. Shreve has written a sensual, cinematic novel, and Hughes's throaty contralto warms in tone and pace to the descriptions of New Hampshire beaches, sifting sand, and the warmth of the sun. This listening experience is delightful. S.C.A. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 00]