TAR BABY

An unlikely combination of people living on a Caribbean island tries to sort out their relationships with each other. Only Toni Morrison could imagine such a group and the dynamics it generates. Lynne Thigpen's measured tones and smoky voice capture the tropical pace of the story. While most of her characters are not dramatized, they are clearly identifiable. It's a bit disconcerting to hear a former beauty queen from Maine's Aroostook County and a retired Philadelphia business leader speaking with a pronounced Southern dialect, but they are at least consistent. Thigpen brings both insight and resignation to the layers of complexity Morrison creates for each character. R.P.L. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 01]