THE SENTIMENTALISTS

This debut novel, winner of Canada’s 2010 Giller Prize, is the story of a father and daughter who attempt to overcome guilt and neglect in search of understanding and forgiveness. Celeste Ciulla’s narration fails to aid in navigating a complex story that bounces from past to present among several characters. She doesn’t breathe life into the settings or the characters: Napoleon, his unnamed daughter, and Henry, the longtime family friend who takes Napoleon in. Long, dense, often-awkward sentences and constant shifting from past to present and character to character challenge the listener to stay focused and engaged. The epilogue, in which Joey Collins and Greg Steinbruner read a trial transcript as young Napoleon and his inquisitor, leaves the listener with little insight into Napoleon's sad, tortured life. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2011]