BULGARI CONNECTION

When is a novel not a novel? When it's commissioned by a big company to sell a product? Perhaps. Yet, Fay Weldon (who readily admits that she contracted to mention Bulgari's name 12 times in this book) has the ability to take the smallest detail and invest it with nobility and wit. Consequently, even with its dubious history and predictable plot line, the novel is a clever, piercing satire of the contradictory nature of human beings. Patricia Gallimore's performance sparkles along with the brilliant, jewel-encrusted pieces Weldon describes in dazzling detail. While this not-so-subliminal advertising marks a decidedly disturbing commercial trend, this particular example of the genre works, largely due to Gallimore's animated narration and Weldon's unflinching humor. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]