ELIZABETH FINCH

British actor Justin Avoth does a first-rate job narrating this confounding novel, a combination of love story and foray into ancient history. Avoth does his level best to keep the listener engaged with its characters. His narration gives the self-interested, angst-ridden Neil his very British due. The man sounds grounded in his culture, and Avoth's deliberate pace and Oxbridge tone work to reveal the odd contours of his story. The titular Elizabeth Finch, the object of Neil's affection, feels very removed from the story. Want to know all about Julian the Apostate? Here is the audiobook for you. But, overall, while this is a brief listen, the novel comes up short. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2022]