SWAN TOWN The Secret Journal of Susanna Shakespeare

Bianca Amato's calm, elegant tone graciously carries listeners through one turbulent year in the life of 14-year-old Susanna Shakespeare. In diary format she thoughtfully recounts life as the eldest child of England's most famous playwright and actor. It's 1597; devotion to Catholicism is considered treason, and the Shakespeares secretly practice the old faith. Amato renders an accurate portrayal of the range of emotions that accompany the secret life of a young girl coming of age--from fear and a sense of betrayal when a family member is arrested to the joy of first love. Amato's voice has a mature quality that does not match that of an adolescent but is heartfelt and engaging nonetheless. K.T.B. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]