A HUNDRED HORSES

Narrator Mandy Williams’s soft, full voice and British accent are perfect for a story of self-discovery. Eleven-year-old Nell unexpectedly has to spend her summer vacation on her aunt’s farm. There she meets the taciturn and secretive Angel. They both have secrets, which Williams conveys in delicious whispers. Williams’s graceful pacing varies, slowing at the leisure of a grazing horse and speeding up with the playful frolicking of a colt. Through their efforts to save Angel’s beloved horses from auction, friendship emerges. Williams makes every character come to life—from Nell’s perfectly coifed mother to a neighbor who sounds as practical and warm as a worn farm coat. A.M.P. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]