THE BREADMAKER'S CARNIVAL

Australian Andrew Lindsay has dared to put together the unholy combination of faith, lust, and hunger in this novel that unites food with flesh. When Good Friday and April Fool's Day and Easter and Carnival fall on the same days, the town of Bachretto, Italy, goes more than a little crazy. The local priest, the baker, a young girl, a one-legged ballerina, a one-armed mason, and many others unite to enjoy the first Breadmaker's Carnival, reminiscent of a Roman bacchanalia. Narrator Noel Hodda has a vast challenge; however, he delivers each situation and most of the dialogue with the same tonal qualities. Church services, drunkenness, revulsion, and allure sound almost the same. The lack of variety makes the book monotonous, but the title will appeal to those looking for something unconventional. S.G.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 05]