LOW COUNTRY

To an outsider, Caroline Venable's life on the coast of South Carolina might seem idyllic, but she's unable to come to grips with the drowning death of her 10-year-old daughter five years earlier. She finally comes face-to-face with her grief when the island left to her by her grandfather is threatened with development by her husband's firm. Siddons's extraordinary descriptions of the South Carolina coast, wildlife and people are given a soft and beautiful interpretation in this narration. McMurdo-Wallis's consistently voiced characters come to life with emotion and passion. This fine performance is unfortunately marred by the conspicuous sound of every breath she takes, as well as occasional gulps. S.S.R. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 99]