RIVEN ROCK

At the turn of the century, Katherine Dexter, a headstrong MIT graduate, marries Stanley McCormick, the delicate son of the inventor of the reaper. Alas, the marriage, never consummated, coincides with Stanley's utter breakdown and removal to Riven Rock, a family estate that will serve as Stanley's private sanitarium for decades. Katherine never abandons hope that Stanley will regain his sanity even as she becomes one of the leading figures in the Women's Movement. Boyle's unconventional love story, based on historical figures, is rich in surprise, humor and tenderness, but Russotto is only a serviceable companion for the journey. His reading is stilted and overly studied. His characterizations seem off-key and therefore not quite recognizable. He doesn't do Boyle's work damage, but neither does he enhance it. M.O. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 99]