STILL LIFE WITH ELEPHANT

This quirky contemporary novel has nothing to do with art but does indeed have elephants. It's a breezy, offbeat story about a woman whose life is turned upside down by a philandering husband and a unique occupational opportunity, namely the chance to train elephants. Narrator Karen White truly becomes Neelie, the irreverent, funny, and generally flummoxed heroine of this story. The plot will keep listeners wondering which man Neelie will choose and which animals she can salvage. The dialogue is brittle and witty though the tone is too self-pitying at times. White's narration is totally true to life in this clever first-person novel. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]