THE NOVELIST

Eddie Lopez's performance oscillates between amusingly dry and bemused, a perfect dynamic for this short yet engaging audiobook. Working on a new novel, the titular writer spends little time writing and a lot of time thinking about the true nature of words, the contrast between Instagram and Facebook, and . . . bowel movements. Throughout, he opines over past sexual experiences (or the lack thereof), eventually breaking the monotony with deep reflections on life, insights into his own identity, and bathroom breaks. Lopez gives these proceedings a stellar performance of intellectual humor, no matter how scatological things get. Listeners who freelance for a living may find themselves nodding a little too much in recognition. S.P.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2022]