ENON

In the aftermath of his 13-year-old daughter's accidental death, Charlie Crosby sinks to the depths of despair, barely surviving a year of drugs and emptiness as he struggles to understand the past and find a way to the future. Although author/narrator Paul Harding lacks a professional's skill, he sounds authentic when Charlie remembers moments shared with his beloved daughter and late grandfather. But Harding has a tendency to fall into a repetitive cadence, which disengages listeners, particularly when Charlie's drug-induced thoughts begin to wander, blending hallucination with reality. The performance is also marred by noticeable breath sounds. Overall, though, Harding infuses this affecting story with believable emotion. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2013]