Emily of New Moon

Andrea Emmes doesn’t just narrate *Emily of New Moon*—she channels it. Her performance is a masterclass in restraint and immersion, avoiding the saccharine traps of overly sweet child voices while still capturing Emily’s youthful fire. The standout is her rendering of Emily’s internal monologue, where Emmes lets the listener eavesdrop on the girl’s unfiltered thoughts, brimming with sarcasm, longing, and the kind of raw honesty that makes you want to hug a kid who’s been told she’s ‘too much.’ The pacing is brisk, matching Emily’s impatient mind, though a few chapters drag when Montgomery leans into overly folksy descriptions of the island’s scenery—beautiful in theory, but a bit indulgent in practice. That said, Emmes sells it, her voice rising and falling like the island’s tides. The real surprise? The supporting cast. New Moon’s adults—especially the stern Aunt Elizabeth and the enigmatic Cousin Jimmy—are given depth and shading that most adaptations gloss over. A minor quibble: Emily’s bullying at school is handled abruptly, feeling more like a plot device than a lived experience. But these are small scars on an otherwise immersive, heart-rending listen. If you loved *Anne of Green Gables*, this is its grittier, more introspective cousin—less sunlit charm, more emotional elbow grease.