(Read by Joanna Gleason; Simon & Schuster Audio; 8 CDs; 9 hours)
Even when not at her best, Allende still entertains, but just barely. Her most recent novel tells the story of a Polish refuge who arrives in America in 1939 and the Japanese gardener she loves for nearly five decades. The story is mostly expository, with long stretches devoid of dialogue, with much world history crammed into small sections. Still, she writes with a soothing sentimentality that pulls you into this love story with its friendships and family ties that meander and wind around our protagonists. Narrator Gleason was a poor choice, as she is often monotone and never sounds completely engaged with the material. Grade B
