Act of God

January 19, 2015
Following Heroic Measures, a chronicle of a city and its housing market in turmoil, Ciment returns with another real estate–themed drama. This latest, however, lacks her previous novel’s tautness and charm. When luminescent spores appear in a Brooklyn townhouse, its inhabitants scatter across New York City and must deal with the life-altering effects of the dangerous mold outbreak. The affected residents include the 64-year-old twin sisters, Kat and Edith: the former a free spirit, the latter a sober and recently retired legal librarian. Above their rent-controlled apartment lives Vida Sebu, owner of the spore-infested townhouse and an actress who is struggling to be taken seriously after appearing in a commercial for a female sexual-enhancement pill. Along with the mold, the brownstone has another intruder: Ashley, a Russian nanny who’s been squatting in Vida’s closet and who responds to the infestation with a Slavic stoicism: “No big deal. In Russia, mushrooms grow out people’s ears.” The insurance company classifies the infestation as an act of God, which fails to satisfy those seeking a less-divine agent behind the catastrophes that follow. Ciment writes with her usual stylistic grace, but the novel doesn’t quite achieve a balance among its vaguely apocalyptic bent, its satirical moments, and the tepid sentimentalism at its core.

Barbara Rosenblat is an outstanding performer. Here she uses varied tones and pitches to reflect four quirky but strong women: Edith, the organized, responsible 64-year-old legal librarian; Kat, Edith's identical twin, who is entirely the opposite in looks, personality, and temperament; Vida Cebu, the landlady, a beautiful and egocentric actress; and Ashley, an 18-year-old homeless Russian immigrant. The horrific plotline, involving a freakish phosphorus mold found growing in the twins' closet, is creative and kind of scary. Rosenblat's delivery is well paced and convincing as she assumes a voice for each character. Listeners will enjoy the way she projects the appealing personalities Ciment has created. S.C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine