Apologize, Apologize!

April 27, 2009
Jeff Woodman creates an excellent portrayal of a painfully self-conscious young man trapped in a charismatic but violently dysfunctional family sequestered with their dozen dogs in a house on Martha's Vineyard. He renders the various members of the family—the wealthy and obnoxious grandfather, the ever-drunk, ever-vicious father and uncle, the nutty Marxist mother—with artistry and enthusiasm. Any weakness in this performance is due to the novel's failings: the characters are stereotypes, the style overburdened with similes and digressive anecdotes satirizing contemporary literature. Despite Woodman's considerable skill and best efforts, this listening disappoints. A Twelve hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 10).

November 10, 2008
Collie Flanagan’s life is part Grey Gardens
and part The Royal Tenenbaums
in this beautifully written if unwieldy dramedy debut. Raised on Martha’s Vineyard, Collie is the dull link in his flamboyant family: his adulterous, alcoholic father and cruelly pugnacious mother maintain a miserable relationship that overshadows even the overblown personalities of his pigeon-racing uncle and his prep-school failure brother. As storms of irresponsibility rage, Collie lives in quiet, stable success until a one-two punch of family tragedy leaves him reeling. Collie’s relationship with his media magnate grandfather becomes contentious as Collie spins out of control and tries wildly different ways to make restitution and become a man. Kelly is a gifted writer (Collie’s mother attacks with a “verbal pitchfork. Before the night was over, just about everyone in the place had sprung leaks, blood and champagne spurting from all those glamorous human fountains”), but her chops as a novelist aren’t as refined: Collie is as pallid as the other characters are unbelievable, and though the crazed drama keeps the story moving, it’s often incredible. Though hampered by these weaknesses, Collie’s quest is worth reading for the elegant prose alone.

March 2, 2009
Jeff Woodman creates an excellent portrayal of a painfully self-conscious young man trapped in a charismatic but violently dysfunctional family sequestered with their dozen dogs in a house on Martha's Vineyard. He renders the various members of the family\x97the wealthy and obnoxious grandfather, the ever-drunk, ever-vicious father and uncle, the nutty Marxist mother\x97with artistry and enthusiasm. Any weakness in this performance is due to the novel's failings: the characters are stereotypes, the style overburdened with similes and digressive anecdotes satirizing contemporary literature. Despite Woodman's considerable skill and best efforts, this listening disappoints. A Twelve hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 10).