MADAME DE TREYMES

These three tragic works by Edith Wharton take the listener from the high society of Paris to the working class of New York City. Although narrator Anna Fields reads the "proper Parisian lady" very well, her tone remains too steady and flat throughout most of the recording. It isn't until the last story, of the Bunner Sisters, that she expresses the emotions of the characters with adequate depth. In this final tale, listeners are treated to characters they can relate to amid themes of love, loyalty and loss. Although these short works lack "happily ever after" endings, they do transport listeners to a different time and place. K.M.D. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]