IN A DARK WOOD

Benedick Hunter, failed British actor, finds an unpublished fairy tale written by his long dead mother as he empties his house post-divorce. He alternates reading the strange story and reviewing the mess he has made of his life. While narrator Daniel Hill gives a fine reading (of all but American characters), he is stuck having to give voice to a complainer, who spends much of the book feeling sorry for himself. It's tedious enough that this listener wanted to fast forward to the fairy-tale sections, which are both fascinating and well read. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]