Heft

This multilayered novel is deepened by two first-person narrations, which are expertly voiced by Keith Szarabajka and Kirby Heyborne. Szarabajka's command of tone provides an authentic portrayal of Arthur, a former college professor who--rejected by his father, his peers, and his love-interest, Charlene--becomes an obese recluse. Heyborne's appealing, well-crafted performance brings out the adolescent angst of Kel, son of the alcoholic Charlene. Kel struggles as he grows up in a working-class neighborhood while maintaining his popular jock identity at his prestigious high school. Themes of classism, rejection, loneliness, and escape course throughout this poignant story. The unique strengths of each narrator enable listeners to connect with both Arthur and Kel as they discover themselves, each other, and their mutual connection to Charlene. K.C.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

November 14, 2011
Moore (The Words of Every Song) taps the fascinating psyche of the morbidly obese in her second novel, a stout volume with a split narrative between corpulent recluse Arthur Opp and Kel Keller, an admired high school baseball player. Though slow to start, Moore succeeds in creating an insightful page-turner that seeks to demystify archetypal characters. Arthur is a reclusive, independently wealthy ex-professor who occupies the lower floors of his family home. A sporadic correspondence with former student Charlene sustains him for years until her surprise phone call pushes him to rejoin society. Charlene is the common link between Arthur and Kel, who narrates the book’s latter half and who, despite his apparent charmed existence, actually leads something of a double life caring for his alcoholic mother. As the story slowly unfolds, the importance of the connections between the three becomes increasingly evident. The writing is quirky, sometimes to a fault, yet original, but the diptych structure is less successful, as the respective first-person narrators are sometimes indistinct. Regardless, Moore’s second novel wears its few kinks well. Agent: Sterling Lord Literistic.

Starred review from September 1, 2012

The characters in Moore's second novel have both physical and emotional weight--heft to be lifted, balanced, and carried. Arthur, a professor-turned-obese urban hermit, and Kel, a high school student yearning for a life in professional baseball, have a known and unknown connection through Charlene, Kel's mother and Arthur's former student. Her decisions shift the balance in everyone's lives. Narrators Kirby Heyborne and Keith Szarabajka do an excellent job of portraying Arthur (late 50s with a gravely, lonely voice) and Kel (young and brash yet old before his time), leaving the reader gasping for a sequel. VERDICT Recommended for readers who enjoy evocative, emotional, absorbing, and intriguing fiction. ["Moore's lovely novel...is about overcoming shame and loneliness and learning to connect. It is life-affirming but never sappy," read the review of the Norton hc, LJ 10/15/11.--Ed.]--J. Sara Paulk, Wythe-Grayson Regional Lib., Independence, VA

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