THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER

Kate Burton's conversational tone immediately captures the character of the first female president of venerable Webster College. Naomi Roth, an accomplished academic, connects well with both her contemporaries and young adults but doesn't take herself too seriously. Navigating faculty politics without ruffling too many feathers and dealing with hiccups in her personal relationships seem to be her greatest challenges. Burton transitions smoothly to a more thoughtful tone and crisper pace to mirror Naomi's increasing anxiety when events on campus devolve from conventional student protest to a situation threatening Naomi's position and the college itself. Rieger's cleverly written story offers multidimensional characters and an exploration of timely cultural topics. Burton's effective delivery of the novel's wry humor, anguish, and sober introspection results in a satisfying listen. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2017]