THERE BUT FOR THE

The sweet lilt in Anne Flosnik’s intonation lifts this unusual audiobook to a notable height. Essentially the story of a man who locks himself in his hosts’ guest bedroom at a dinner party, the novel assumes the point of view of a new character with each new chapter. Flosnik makes her way through all their voices adroitly, with only occasional distractions, most of which stem from the text itself. Some dialogue, for example, is clunky and self-conscious, but the overall appeal of the production remains steady. Smith’s prose is successful more often than not with its thought-provoking plot twists and unconventional characters. Listeners hoping for something different will find what they seek in this recording. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2011]