LITTLE CHILDREN

The path of least resistance becomes just another excuse for characters in search of spiritual solace from the stifling boredom of suburban life. Bestselling satirist Tom Perrotta uses a darker palette than in previous works as he mixes several shaky marriages with stifling summer heat, the crushing routine of child care, and a child molester recently released from jail. The result is an exotic mélange of wry humor and heartbreaking pathos. Narrator George Wilson perfectly captures the tone of weary characters whose lives play out in pervert-stalked playgrounds and cookie-cutter houses behind white picket fences. R.O. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 05]