THE MAMMOTH CHEESE

This quirky novel will remind listeners of a John Irving novel with its wildly diverse characters acting in extreme situations amid a vivid setting. Laural Merlington informs the plot with her skillful ability to convey the conflicting emotions and self-doubts of each character. There's the new mother of 11 babies, born of fertility treatments; the minister who talked her into having all of them; and his son, August Vaughn, farmhand and longtime secret admirer of Margaret Prickett. And it's Margaret who creates the mammoth cheese in an effort to save her family's century-old dairy farm. It sounds Dickensian, but the novel unfolds cleanly, revealing a beautifully crafted story and vibrant characters. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]