SHADOW TAG

Senseless destruction is horrifying to watch. It makes sense, then, that this audiobook is horrifying to hear—horrifying yet irresistible. Uncomfortable scenes replay themselves as Irene's marriage to the brilliant, troubled artist Gil twists itself into a tortured stranglehold. The two go to extremes to make each other unhappy—Irene even pens cruel diary entries, knowing that Gil will read them—and yet they remain truly bound by marriage. Coleen Marlo nimbly captures each tormented character's voice and even portrays the suffering of the children with heartbreaking authenticity. The profound selfishness of the couple makes them difficult to like, but the beauty of Erdrich's writing and the precise neutrality of Marlo's narration make the family wreckage something that can't be ignored. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2010]