OKAY FOR NOW

Doug Swieteck, who has just moved to a new town and is struggling with an abusive father, is trying to figure out who he is. Lincoln Hoppe has no trouble finding a voice for the hero or accenting the novel’s dark, lyrical tone. The first-person point of view reaches out to involve listeners in the story, and Hoppe makes the most of these invitations. He captures Doug’s indecision—will he adopt the hard tones of his father and older brother or his mother’s tenderness? Hoppe expresses Doug’s attempts to cope with abuse as well as with his burgeoning creativity and the first stirrings of love. Just as skillfully, Hoppe delivers meaningful depictions of the minor characters. His considerable talents paint a vivid portrait of a troubled family and an unforgettable hero. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2012 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2011]