THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE SKY

Irish novelist Marian Keyes's latest is a big, bawdy story of relationships and personal dramas among the tenants of 66 Star Street in Dublin. It’s packed with intriguing characters and situations that offer as much humor and sass as they do tragedy. The author's sister, Catriona Keyes, is instrumental in giving the audio version an advantage over the printed text. The density that makes the book so rich inevitably results in slow patches, but Catriona's crisp presentation and mastery of comic timing move the action along briskly. Her delightful brogue lends authenticity to the narrative, especially the dialogue, and helps bring definition and depth to the characters. Novelist Keyes takes some chances with this novel, but the result is still her trademark satisfying ending, with all loose ends neatly tied. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2010]