THE ORCHARD

Heller's penchant for salt-of-the-earth characters is reflected in Kate Marcin's narration. On an Edenic homestead in Vermont, Frith, a wild girl, is living an unconventional childhood with her bohemian mother, Hayley, a former academic, and their dog, Bear. They support themselves through picking their apples in the fall and tapping their maples in the spring. Marcin balances the novel by illuminating the sense of wonder in both their narratives. She voices the young Frith's sunny naïveté and the older Frith's yearning for answers to questions that plague her. This account of the magic of childhood--while seen through rose-colored glasses--captures the listener's heart. K.L.L. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2025]