NORTHANGER ABBEY

Even Liz Pearce's enthusiasm and talent with a variety of accents cannot make this story an enjoyable experience. In this updated version of the Jane Austen novel, home-schooled and overly imaginative Cat Morland jumps at the opportunity to go to Edinburgh with family friends for a festival. There she meets the shallow and irritating Bella Thorpe and her snarky, obnoxious brother, John. She also falls hard for and wrangles an invitation from hunky Henry Tilney to visit his ancestral home, Northanger Abbey, which she's convinced hides secrets. Pearce's best effort is her portrayal of Bella Thorpe, whose nasal, high-pitched voice and habit of drawing out her words soooo often are perfect for her unlikable character. A.C.P. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2015]