YOU REMIND ME OF ME

Listeners will admire the care and precision short story writer Dan Chaon (AMONG THE MISSING) invests in his first novel. Chaon recounts the horror of a young boy hideously mauled by his mother's dog, the lethargy of a small-time drug dealer, the plight of a pregnant teenaged girl, and the anguish of a grandmother who discovers her 6-year-old grandson is missing. Like any good Impressionist, Chaon brings these seemingly dissimilar people together, masterfully connecting the dots until a complete human picture emerges. Narrator Jim Soriero gives an intelligent, enthusiastic reading. His voice has an ingenuous quality especially suited to the novel's earliest scenes. Without attempting to capture accents or personalities, Soriero's narration has an appealing intensity. Chaon's wit, intricate plotting, and poetic narrative make this memorable listening. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 04/ JAN 05]