THE ROOM-MATING SEASON

Spanning decades in the lives of three women, this ambitious novel starts out with promise: Leigh, Cady, and Vanessa begin their friendship in 1963 as New York City roommates. The listener becomes familiar with each woman's dreams, ambitions, and flaws as the plot unfolds, especially when it comes to the love lives of three very different personalities. As the years pass, the women pursue careers and men with varying results; however, they do little more than that. Even though Deborah Hall spends ample time with each character, each one remains a two-dimensional figure that partakes in clichéd, wooden dialogue and makes the same motions repeatedly. Hall offers adequate narration, although she, too, becomes a bit clichéd in her rendition of the women's voices. (The flight attendant sounds breathy and helpless, for example.).This novel is an easy listen and a fair diversion, but that's about it. L.B.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 03]