FORTUNATE LIVES

Six years after a tragic accident, the Howells family passes a seemingly placid summer coming to grips with the death of one son and the departure of another. Alexandra O'Karma has con-sciously chosen an almost dispassionate tone to convey the cerebral nature of Robb Forman Dew's eloquent and skillful prose. O'Karma's pensive style and deliberate lack of distinct vocal charac-terization successfully maintain the listener's attention throughout long descriptive passages, but subtle shifts of tone during dialogues help intensify the tension that floats just beneath the surface of seemingly mundane lives. Dew's fans will want to hang on every word. J.A. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 93]