STUDIO SAINT-EX

“My God, how convoluted this has all become,” says the fictional Mignonne Lachapelle, referring to her fantasy affair with author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; her forced friendship/partnership with his wife, Consuelo; and her drive to do anything to establish herself in the haute-couture society of 1940s New York. She could be talking about this more fictional than historical novel. Cassandra Campbell’s delivery is uninspired, and the listener struggles to follow the story through the flowery prose and continually shifting voices. Mignonne gives her perspective in a first-person perspective while Consuelo’s perspective is third person, but they’re indistinguishable to the ear, even though Mignonne is Franco-American and Consuelo is Salvadoran. Lots of hype for a disappointing listening experience. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2013]