A LONG WAY DOWN

Hornby's work showcases an unusual narrative hat trick. Told from four different perspectives--that of four characters contemplating suicide--the various narrators each provide a specific character voice and then, in the course of conversations, imitate the others. So, for example, Simon Vance must provide an upper-class British accent for his tarnished TV-host character but then must also mimic the regional accent used by Scott Brick's American musician. The narrators' dexterity is even more admirable in that Kate Reading portrays two of the British characters, a teenager and the mother of a disabled child. This dazzling narrative display enhances Hornby's emotional and often hilarious story about a group of misfits who learn to measure life in moments, not lifetimes. And for those keeping track, this is one of those rare audiobooks in which a character listens to an audiobook. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]