MISSELTHWAITE

MISSELTHWAITE, "the sequel" to Frances Hodgson Burnett's THE SECRET GARDEN, traces the intertwining and complicated lives of Mary, Colin and Dickon into adulthood. Maureen O'Brien is a chameleon of character narration. She virtually transforms herself from Mary as a young, scandalous bride in India, to Colin pontificating about the pointlessness of war, to the tortured Dickon desperately trying to survive the horrors of battle. British class structure is distinguishable as O'Brien contrasts Dickon's working-class style of speaking with Mary and Colin's more elegant speech. Despite the scandals and sorrows, O'Brien emphasizes the strength of the golden threads that weave the three characters together, unbreakable, yet unique. B.J.P. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: MAR 97]