THE ANSWER IS NO A Short Story

Lucas, the young introvert at the center of this short story, just wants to be left alone--like the protagonist of Backman's novel A MAN CALLED OVE. Narrator Stacy Gonzalez captures Lucas's ennui and exasperation, deepening her voice and slowing the pace of the dialogue perfectly. The folks that inhabit Lucas's apartment building, alas, are conspiring to deprive him of the solitude he craves. They have an absurdist quality that drives the story's humor, to be sure, but Gonzalez takes this too far, mostly ascribing them voices and characterizations that are silly and often grating. Given the story's brevity, though, this is tolerable enough, and the result is an enjoyable brief tale with a heartwarming conclusion. D.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2024]