THE DANGERS OF PROXIMAL ALPHABETS

From childhood through young adulthood, Ida and Jackson—“I” and “J”—have been together, first as virtual siblings, then as lovers. They’ve been through the deaths of their parents, in addition to the common wounds of growing up. However, even with all of the attendant drama, this novel lacks a compelling central narrative. Carrington MacDuffie does an admirable job of attempting to help the listener delve into Ida’s damaged psyche, but she seems miscast in this role. Ida is young enough that the cat her parents got before she was born is old but still living. MacDuffie brings great emotion to the role, but her voice, rich as it is, is simply too mature to be believable as Ida. J.L.K. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2012]