“I had read this book first, but since I love audio books, I wanted to hear it read aloud. I was utterly enchanted. The narrator, Alex Lee, brings so much life and feeling and heart into the story so that the characters come to life, and become Real, like the Velveteen Rabbit!
This mother daughter story spans a lifetime, and we the reader enter the story just when there was an end of innocence, the moment when a young girl who was happy to draw at her mother’s feet while she cooked, was catapulted to international fame as a child prodigy. The damage is profound, to the girl and her whole family, and we stand witness to the unfolding tragedy, as well as times of magic and delight. The way this book is structured, and the story moves forward and backward across time, is seamless and fascinating. A remarkable book and collaboration with the narrator!
Fortunately, I had a five hour drive across Maine and NH to listen in rapt attention to half the book! What a thrill!”
History Brought Beautifully to Life
“I tend to get bored with most straight history, but a historical novel based on real lives? Sign me up! Between the author’s scrupulous attention to detail and the voice actor’s performance, “The Velveteen Daughter” is a novel worth hearing. You’ll feel as if you’ve embodied both mother and daughter and you’ll want to take this journey, where the two of them grapple with art, genius, madness and intimate family relationships. Toss in visits with Pablo Picasso and Eugene O’Neill and you’ve got a unique view into a slice of history that would have gotten lost without the author’s attention. I often felt as if the writing itself was exactly like a piece of visual art, full of color and movement and meaning, as if I’d fallen inside a painting and was seeing it from the inside out. Incredible! If you like history, art, madness and terrific writing and narration, give this one a listen.”
“I recently had the great good fortune to work with Alex Lee”
“I recently had the great good fortune to work with Alex Lee, who narrated my historical novel, The Velveteen Daughter. She was wonderful on every level: professional, quick to respond to every query, and, above all, a marvellous actress. Alex Lee took the time to read the book and to come back to me with questions she had about characters so that she could understand them fully. Her interpretation of my work was superb, and if there was a passage I thought needed fixing (which was rare) I would give her a bit of direction and voila! – perfection. Alex Lee has a terrific sense of pacing and instinctively knows what will work for best dramatic effect. I would choose to work with her again in a heartbeat.”
“Alex pours her heart and soul into her performances”
“Alex pours her heart and soul into her performances and always impresses with the time and effort she puts into preparing for recording sessions. Her voice is beautiful and at times we’ve found her narration to be breathtaking.”
Arran Dutton Creative Director