THE SHADOW-LINE

David Horovitch's gifted performance lifts Joseph Conrad's slight novel from a minor work to a genuine pleasure. Conrad tells how a first sea command plagued by malaria, dead calms, and the malice of a dead former captain takes the new captain past the shadow-line from youth to maturity. The book lacks much incident, and repeated mentions strain the title metaphor, but listening to Horovitch's fine slightly hoarse voice, varied by accent and expression for the various characters, is its own pleasure. He brings to bear an unfailing sensitivity, giving each line its proper delivery and emotional weight. The intelligence, deftness, and sheer interest of his acting make this audio version--even with the book's stylistic doldrums--something to relish and admire. W.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]