SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF EASE AND PLENTY

What becomes of the wealthy when their wealth is suddenly gone? This is the question that interests Ausebel in her novel of a New England family in the 1960s and 1970s. Elisabeth Rodgers is a skilled narrator who is able to give some semblance of emotion to these spoiled, basically unlikable, characters. The story opens during relaxed days on Martha's Vineyard before the family's lack of money is discovered, and Rodgers's narration is similarly languid. In fact, the speed of the narration is slow enough that it occasionally becomes distracting. In the end, the poky pace and off-putting characters thwart a good listening experience. J.L.K. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2017]