CLEANNESS

Garth Greenwell's superb narration makes a powerful case for authors reading their own work. This bleak, honest novel is about the impossibility of knowing all the complicated truths of a person. In a series of vignettes, a gay American teacher in Bulgaria describes various encounters--ailenating, romantic, disturbing, and tender--with friends, students, lovers, and hookups. There's an open tenderness in Greenwell's voice that's immediately compelling. His narration is emotional but unencumbered, inviting listeners to simply exist with the character in the moment. This is especially apparent in his depictions of several sexual encounters that oscillate between intimate and violent. Though the novel includes dialogue, Greenwell doesn't alter his voice as he shifts between characters, a choice that adds to the intensity and power of the first-person point of view. L.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2020]