THE PORTABLE VEBLEN

Narrator Julia Gibson approaches Mckenzie's characters with intimate understanding, granting even the most unlikable figures layered, complicated portrayals. The story is a bizarre whirlwind, tackling issues related to identity, the thin line between quirkiness and madness, familial relationships, government corruption, and the quest to craft one's own future. Gibson's pacing works to usher the lengthy piece forward, and her range is a gift in a narrative that has so many moving parts. She gives grace to the spacey but good-natured Veblen, hits the hard notes on Veblen's mother's haranguing speeches, leans into the self-righteousness of Paul's inner monologues, and embraces a bevy of other characters with zeal. It's a surreal, jarring listen, and Gibson makes it worth the trip. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2016]