LIFE IS SHORT BUT WIDE

For the generations that pass through this novel, life seems short indeed, and peppered with as much hardship as happiness. In Wideman, Oklahoma, people come and go, love and lose, succeed and fail, with predictable regularity. Adenrele Ojo's performance shines brightest when she engages in dialogue between any of the myriad characters herein, creating a zest and personality that might otherwise go unnoticed. The listener can't help but get pulled into the story of the families whose paths cross in a small town, and Ojo's methodical narration is reasonable and easy to follow—but the audiobook is more diverting than it is dazzling. For the most part, the characters and setting remain flat, leaving the focus on life's brevity rather than its breadth. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]