In The Alternatives (11 hours) by Caoilinn Hughes, geology professor Olwen Flattery, despairing at the state of the world, goes AWOL from her job and her family. Rhona, Maeve and Nell, her brilliant, squabbling and stubborn sisters, track her down to rescue her—which is exactly what Olwen doesn’t want.
The actors in this full cast production do an excellent job of translating The Alternatives into an audiobook. Each sister has a subtly different Irish accent: Rhona’s clipped academic tones, Maeve’s London-tinged lilt, Nell’s American inflection, and Olwen’s rich and loamy voice, as beautiful and weary as the world she mourns. When the novel shifts to a play format in later chapters, the actors revel in the sharp dialogue and insightful stage directions. Teetering between comedy and tragedy, The Alternatives will leave the listener wondering about the fates of these compelling characters.
