THE BLUE GUITAR

Author Banville’s title comes from the Wallace Stevens poem “The Man with the Blue Guitar,” and we understand immediately that in this work of fiction, reality may be slightly askew. Our reality comes from the ponderings of the story’s main character, Oliver Otway Orme. “O. O. O. You could hang me over the door of a pawnshop.” Narrator Gerry O’Brien makes our time with Oliver absolutely engrossing. Oliver is a painter and a thief who steals for pleasure. O’Brien delivers Oliver’s wit and personal charm in a way that makes us like him, even when he does bad things. And O’Brien’s delivery of Oliver’s justification for thieving is hilarious. As narrator, he also offers moments when Oliver’s self-involvement and self-deprecation feel completely real. An excellent audiobook for those who love language well used. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2015]