THE DIVIDE

Narrator Scott Brick sharply defines the characters in Nicholas Evans's thoughtful look at the gulf that divides people from one another. After 23 years of marriage Ben Cooper is bored and restless. His wife, Sarah, rages with righteous indignation when Ben decides to leave. When the Coopers learn of their daughter's death, questions and recriminations open old wounds and gouge tragic new ones. Brick's performance has just the right self-assuredness for characters who stubbornly rationalize behaviors that cause others pain. His directness nicely fits this sprawling story, while his voice, sometimes brusque, sometimes tender, makes listeners privy to each person's secrets. Evans spins a good story, and Brick makes it perfect listening for a cold winter's night. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 06]