WOODSMAN'S DAUGHTER

As a young girl, Dahlia knows she wants a better life than she knows in rural Georgia. That goal drives her throughout her life, but she never quite gets out from under the shadows of her woodsman father's legacy. Linda Stephens relies on timing, accents, and cadence to bring to life the characters, atmosphere, and social culture that are integral to this novel. Stephens's subtle treatment of the class and racial distinctions that underlie the story's social relationships adds dimension to the performance. A dark cloud seems to hang over Dahlia all her life, but Stephens ensures that it does not get too heavy. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 06]