Narrator Cynthia Farrell has her work cut out for her with the number of characters that drive this complex plot. While Farrell masterfully performs male and female characters, her choice of a deeper voice for Investigator Susan Adler makes it challenging to differentiate her from the male characters. The story is about the mysterious disappearance of an Alzheimer’s sufferer named James Darville, who played a role in the murder of several children decades ago. Interspersed between the scenes of the investigation and the actions of the kidnappers are transcripts read by James himself during his moments of clarity. The twists and turns will have listeners continually questioning whom to believe. E.Q. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2020]

Narrator Cynthia Farrell’s approach to this serious subject is lighter than one might expect. Sometime around the year 1000, Norsemen (and a few women) crossed from Greenland to what is now Canada. This audiobook marks that achievement as the first time goods and ideas could–at least, theoretically–travel around the world from the Americas to Europe, Africa, and Asia, introducing the possibility of true globalism. International and intercontinental trade routes stretched for thousands of miles, ready for European explorers to connect to them. Farrell’s delivery is too light in some instances. Sometimes her phrasing suggests that she is not familiar with the text. Nevertheless, the material is fascinating to those with an interest in the distant origins of the modern world. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2020]

M.R. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2019]

Emily Woo Zeller and Cynthia Farrell’s dual narrations emphasize the divergent personalities of two time-traveling protagonists. Coolly portrayed by Farrell, Red sneers as she sees Blue, her foe, across a burning field. Red realizes that her attempt to alter the future was foiled by Blue, an agent of the opposition in an ongoing war that moves through time. Then, Red receives a letter from Blue–read in a taunting tone by Zeller–and the agents begin a cryptic correspondence as they sabotage each other’s missions. The two narrators deliver the rich and lyrical letters with increasing passion as each agent falls in love with her enemy. We hear their pain as they must choose between betraying each other–or their agencies. Listen, then listen again to unravel this intricate story, beautifully narrated.

E.E.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019] Source

Narrator Cynthia Farrell becomes young Elena of Piedra Negra, Cuba. The aspiring poet from the country dreams of something other than making the firewater that is her family’s business. Farrell captures the dreamy possibilities of the postrevolutionary period, which is contrasted with the ugly reality of everyone spying on their neighbors. Farrell deftly handles the occasional Spanish words peppered throughout the story, giving the listening experience a musical quality. Fans of world literature will sink into this listening experience as Elena transforms from a country girl to a poet in the city.

M.R. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019] Source

Narrator Cynthia Farrell makes this charming look at grandparenting a treat for everyone, especially new grandparents (and parents) everywhere. Channeled by Farrell, former NEW YORK TIMES columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Anna Quindlen plops listeners unceremoniously and often hilariously into her earliest days in grandma mode. From the moment she looks into her first grandson’s eyes, she knows that, should it ever become necessary, she will fight dragons for him. She investigates her perfectly normal yet painful feelings of being displaced, no longer a leading character but a supporting player in her children’s lives. She reminds us that “Nana judgment must be employed judiciously, and exercised carefully.” Farrell delivers Quindlen’s gentle wisdom and worldly wit to perfection, proving herself an expert tour guide through NANAVILLE.

S.J.H. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019] Source

J.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2016] Source

Yesterday I discovered that my book, What Motivates Getting Things Done: Procrastination, Emotion, and Success, is on Audible. I was quite apprehensive as I downloaded the audiobook. Although I am a psychologist and professor, I also hosted a talk show on Radio Disney stations for nine years and there I became familiar with the world of voice acting. Adding to my trepidation during the download was a recent disappointing experience with my publisher who inadvertently ran out of books 3 weeks following the release, with none available until mid-September (Amazon had to cancel pending orders). Clearly, I needed some activation of joy that seemed to be as unavailable as my book.

Cynthia Farrell’s voice not only brought my book to life, but gave me profound pleasure. Her narration was exceptional and her prosodic excellence is unmatched. As someone who has researched emotions and understands how they are conveyed in vocal rhythms and tones, I have firm conviction that Cynthia Farrell will garner the interest and attention of those who listen to the book. As an example, I later handed the headset to my husband, simply asking him to listen “for a minute” to the narration. He ended up in an easy chair with a smile on his face, asking for more time when I wanted it back. Clearly, Cynthia Farrell’s cadence and intonation are mesmerizing. Moreover, in the book are two brief sentences in Italian. Since my parents spoke to each other in Italian throughout my childhood, the narration of those words was important to me; specifically, the flow and pattern of sounds. I skipped to those sentences in the last chapter and again listened with a critical ear. I felt at home. Yet in listening to that chapter I also noticed an important subtlety: Through her voice Cynthia Farrell captured how the last chapter of the book is significantly more personal than the rest.

Thus, I want to express my wholehearted appreciation to Audible for choosing Cynthia Farrell as the narrator for my book. If I eventually find the energy to write a sixth book, I would love to have Cynthia Farrell be my voice.

Sincerely,
Mary Lamia

Mary C. Lamia, Ph.D.
http://www.marylamia.com
http://www.whatmotivatesgettingthingsdone.com

The highlight of the set is a moving, flawlessly executed medley of Stephen Sondheim’s “Loving You” and Leonard Bernstein and Sondheim’s “I Have a Love.” Every note of the medley is full-bodied, assured, and lovely. Together, the pair of songs becomes a confession of romantic obsession and a coming to terms with that obsession. Farrell smiles at moments at the hopelessness of her overpowering devotion, but it’s a wise smile—and therefore a slightly sad one.

Farrell’s program has an autobiographical slant. She and writer-director James Horvath have created a story arc about finding love, starting a family, having it all fall apart, and then rebounding through a program of self-reflection and inner-strength building. It’s a familiar tack, of course, to build an act around one’s personal journey. It’s not what I would have recommended for a debut show, but for the most part, Farrell makes it work—although the narrative thread gets lost during parts of the program. The most interesting use of a song in service of her personal tale is the repurposing of Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead” as a celebration of the exorcism of the witch-like part of her personality that emerged following the collapse of her marriage This song is the lightest fare of the evening—and the jazz-inflected arrangement gives Farrell a chance to do some sprightly scat singing. On the night I saw her, “Ding-Dong!” was a crowd pleaser.

Not all of the selections are as effective. I believe this is due in part to some of the arrangements by musical director and pianist Fran Minarik, which tend to be heavy on dissonance and a kind of edgy, experimental quality that sometimes proves distracting. For instance, the opening number, Bernstein and Sondheim’s “Something’s Coming,” is outfitted with a kind of avant-garde boogie-woogie underpinning that doesn’t serve the singer at all. Here I felt Farrell was swimming upstream against the current of Minarik’s playing.

But—like the Sondheim/Bernstein medley—other selections, such as the trembling-with-emotion “100 Years” (John Ondrasik), are delivered in a graceful, resonant voice. Farrell gets to show off her talent for belting on two forceful numbers that close the program: Sondheim’s “Being Alive” and Michel Legrand and Marilyn and Alan Bergman’s “A Piece of Sky.” I would have advised her to pick one of these and discard the other in favor of something less bombastic. She does return to a quieter mode for her encore, Lennon and McCartney’s “Blackbird.” There are some moments of phrasing in that number that suggest that Farrell would do well to add some blues-oriented selections in future shows. I’d also like to hear what she can do with something in a swinging, lilting key—perhaps some up-tempo Gershwin or Berlin. As with her inclusion of “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead,” such additions might offset the dramatic selections, thereby making them seem even stronger and more poignant.

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