THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY

Classic books make you realize why you listen to audiobooks in the first place; they're interesting, have great characters and are well crafted. Laural Merlington's narration of this classic starts off unevenly, but she finds a rhythm around tape two and takes off from there. She has a sweet voice, which she uses to create diverse characters, especially that of Isabel Archer, the book's protagonist. Merlington gives Isabel a voice that ranges from obsequious to forceful; this range allows us to become more involved in her plight. R.I.G. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]