The Rise & Fall of Great Powers

March 24, 2014
Rachman follows up the debut success of The Imperfectionists with a suspenseful novel that whisks readers around the world, from Sydney to Bangkok to New York. This coming-of-age story focuses on the life of fiercely independent late-bloomer Tooly Zylberberg, who, in her early 30s, opens a ramshackle bookstore in the small Welsh town of Caergenog. Jumping between three decades, the global-scale mystery surrounding Tooly slowly unravels. It begins in 2011, when Tooly’s ex-boyfriend contacts her about her dying former caretaker, whom he believes is her father. The novel weaves a critique of modern society through Tooly’s odyssey, with a cast of characters grappling with the mundane realities of the 21st century. The novel loses steam toward the end, but the journey is still worth taking. Agent: Susan Golomb, Susan Golomb Agency.

Narrator Penelope Rawlins gives an outstanding performance, doing justice to the strong and varied personalities in this character-driven book. The story revolves around Tooly Zylberberg, the owner of a not very successful bookstore in Wales. Tooly comes to the United States in search of her past, which is populated by the eccentric and sometimes criminal people who raised her, plus a couple of former boyfriends. Rawlins captures both Tooly's childhood and adult personalities and makes vivid the six or seven major characters of differing nationalities and ages. This book, which moves back and forth between three different time periods, presents a challenge for any narrator. Rawlins doesn't stumble, and her work enhances the rich writing. G.S.D. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine