THE HEARTS OF HORSES

Martha Lessen is a unique heroine. By age 19, she's become a female broncobuster who works miracles as she gentles horses on Oregon farms in 1917. Renée Raudman creates a strong picture of characters and setting. In dialogue she portrays Martha's soft, deferential voice and the way it strengthens when she voices her opinions. Martha's un-accented words stand out among Raudman's well-performed dialects, just as the girl stands out in a world in which she's seen as odd. Raudman conveys Martha’s thoughts as the girl remembers events of her abusive childhood, and voices her tenderness for horses and troubled neighbors. Best of all, Raudman lets us savor the author's leisurely descriptions and witness Matha's growing sense of self and belonging. S.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2009]