FLORENCE GORDON

One of the challenges of narrating a character-driven novel is allowing listeners to form their own opinions about the protagonists. Dawn Harvey's dramatic performance of this story about a 75-year-old feminist writer and her family sounds intrusive. Harvey's intonations and pauses heavily signal passages she interprets as sarcastic or funny, preventing listeners from reacting directly to the prose. The novel explores personal secrets, the pressures of self-imposed and family expectations, and aging, but Harvey's clipped presentation and storytelling approach leave no room for contemplation. Inconsistent vocalization of the dialogue, with inflections that are sometimes mismatched to the characters' personalities, further distance the listener. This beautifully written work, which portrays three generations of women as they face identity issues, is better enjoyed in print. C.B.L. [Published: JANUARY 2015]