Ordinary Light

This audiobook opens with a necessary heaviness. Smith relives the moment she lost her mother, and the weight of her grief is so real, so palpable, that it can be difficult to hear. But this memoir seems more of a celebration of life as it unfolds and Smith re-creates her childhood experiences and the people in them with grace and precision. While her writing is a poet's flowing and clear style, her performance can be somewhat halting and stilted. Thankfully, this self-conscious feeling diminishes somewhat as the narration progresses, but it can lead to a disappointingly distant effect. Her delivery of dialogue shines, however, and her contemplative moments are wonderfully explored. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine