BEST FRIENDS

In 1973 at Oberlin College, Clare, an Ohio WASP, meets Sally, a Jewish Californian, and the two become best friends. As the women grow closer, soap-opera-like disasters drop like black balloons into their pretty pink lives. The sudden death of Sally's fiancé, multiple failed marriages, molestation, heroin addiction, and the revelation of terrible family secrets are but a few of the challenges facing their friendship. Renée Raudman's sweet, breathy voice is wispy and childlike. Consequently, her women sound fey, fragile, and a bit too precious. By contrast, her male characters sound constricted, as if they have something caught in their throats. While the notion that friendships withstand hard times is worthy, Raudman's narration does little to distract from the novel's tendency toward melodrama. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2008]