GOOD GRIEF

Helen Laser is a good narrator, but her skills are not put to full use here. It's 1963, and Barbara Feldman has been processing her husband's sudden death for two years. Now her mother-in-law, Ruth, moves in, disrupting Barbara's attempts to forge a new path and sowing seeds of chaos. This audiobook is fairly predictable in its plot and delivery. There are few surprises, and characters remain largely one-dimensional. As the plot's flaws are pushed into the spotlight, the results are flat. Some characters' voices are overdeveloped, and there are enough incongruous pauses to become distracting. Perhaps most off-putting are the voices of children, which come across as forced and cartoonish. Nonetheless, those looking for an easy listen may enjoy this story. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]