THE MEN OF BREWSTER PLACE

Gloria Naylor has created a series of stream of consciousness remembrances linked to the women of her previous novel. Here, the men seek absolution for their sins. They offer rationalizations for their earlier reprehensible behaviors. However, with the exception of Brother Jerome, a blues-playing autistic savant, few of them manage to evoke empathy. What they say feels more like lip service than genuine contrition. While the women possessed warmth and depth, the men are never fully realized. As read by Richard Allen, large portions of the narration lack energy. Allen is strongest in scenes of dialogue in which his husky, seductive voice is especially effective in giving each character a distinct personality. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]