THE PAINTER'S DAUGHTERS

Emily Howes's debut novel examines the lives of Peg and Molly Gainsborough, daughters of the renowned portrait artist Thomas Gainsborough. Gemma Lawrence gives Peg a strong, determined voice as she recounts Peg's close, protective ties with her troubled older sister, Molly. Lawrence's subtle changes in emphasis and volume communicate Molly's distance and confusion. As Peg attempts to keep Molly safe, Lawrence conveys her moments of panic, her mother's frustration, and her father's insistence that everything is fine. Louise Brealey tells the story of Meg, Peg's grandmother, and of Margaret, Peg's mother, whose family history is shrouded in secrecy. Brealey speaks with an observer's detached distance, employing a steady, even delivery that slowly reveals Margaret's secret past and her aspirations for her daughters. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]