ALL THE FINEST GIRLS

No one knows a character better than the person who created her. When Styron first begins to read her novel, her narrator seems bored and stiff--less confiding than reciting. The listener quickly grasps why, however, and the result is brilliant. Only by seeing Addy Abraham at her worst can we understand the magnitude of her transformation. Addy's childhood is glimpsed through flashbacks that illustrate how she became the lost adult that she is. The sudden death of her beloved babysitter forces Addy to confront that childhood and look through clear eyes at the present. Full of astute, observant descriptions, this novel will keep the listener riveted. L.B.F. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]