THE WILD LAUGHTER

Narrator Chris O'Dowd's lovely Irish accent brings this contemporary Cain and Abel family drama to life. Listeners are drawn into the mounting tension between the Black brothers, Hart and Cormac, as they cope with their father's chronic illness. O'Dowd's narration magnifies the conflict between the brothers as their father's suffering increases. The story is made even richer by the depiction of contemporary events in Ireland. O'Dowd beautifully conveys a family in crisis, as well as the taboo topic of assisted suicide. This is a novel about a particular family's hardship, but O'Dowd's performance makes it even more universal. M.R. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2020]