Review: Susan, A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh, read by Heather Tracy
Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh is the first novel in a series of six books planned by this award-winning author.
After listening to this exquisite audio production, I can tell you that I was instantly immersed into a captivating story filled with colorful characters, driven by a fast-moving plot that springs to life in the listeners’ imagination with vivid descriptions.
The writing style is superb, I’m always blown away by the way some extremely talented authors can mimic a specific work by someone else, and by doing this, they transport the reader to a completely different time and place.
The protagonist of this novel is Susan Smithson, a 16-year-old girl who creates a lot of problems for everyone around her. After she is expelled from a reputable school for young ladies in London, she moves to a quiet rural town and there she will turn the place and its unfortunate inhabitants upside down.
Being beautiful, smart, but also capricious, mischievous, egocentric and narcissistic, our young Susan will take readers and listeners alike into an adventure filled with thrills, danger, mysteries, and romance
Classically trained British actress Heather Tracy who has worked in theatre, TV, and film brings all the characters and the events in Susan to life with skill, emotion, and talent.
Heather does a fantastic job with the narration by assigning each important character its own voice or accent. She enriches and elevates the listening experience by seamlessly switching between them when a dialogue is in progress and by doing this, she helps the listeners to immerse themselves into this beautiful historical fiction.
Susan is a great start for what could become a best-selling and award-winning series in the years to come. To me, this first novel felt like an instant classic that combines the superb writing of a really talented author with the flawless narration delivered by a top-notch professional.
This audiobook receives five stars from me and I recommend it to everyone who loves classic literature with a touch of mystery and a twist of romance. Also, I can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
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Victor Dima
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