Read by George Newbern
16 hours and 16 minutes
At the heart of Gilbert’s first novel is A.N. Dyer, an elderly literary icon who’s just attended his best friend’s funeral and has a broken marriage, several children with unsettled lives, and a whopper of a secret. His life, and that of his children, unwinds during one wild week in which the narrative shifts focus back and forth among Dyer, his sons, a family friend, and even excerpts from his most famous novel. And therein lies the problem. Though a humorous and adroit story, it is quite complicated, so a little snippet of music, or different readers to clearly differentiate characters, would be most welcome when the setting changes. Though sometimes the book is a little too clever for its own good (quick! catch all those references), it is certainly makes you want to hear what Gilbert next has to offer.
Grade: B+