Adverbs CD: A Novel

Handler, Daniel

ISBN 10: 0061149845 ISBN 13: 9780061149849

Publisher: HarperAudio, 2006

Synopsis

Hello. I am Daniel Handler, the author of this book. Did you know that authors often write the summaries of their books that appear here on the package? You might want to think of that the next time you read something like, "A dazzling page-turner, this novel shows an internationally acclaimed storyteller at the height of his astonishing powers."

Adverbs is a novel about love -- a bunch of different people, in and out of different kinds of love. At the start of the novel, Andrea is in love with David -- or maybe it's Joe -- who instead falls in love with Peter in a taxi. At the end of the novel, it's Joe who's in the taxi, falling in love with Andrea, although it might not be Andrea, and in any case it might not be the same Andrea, as Andrea is a very common name. So is Allison, who is married to Adrian in the middle of the novel, although in the middle of the ocean she considers a fling with Keith and also with Steve, whom she meets in an automobile, unless it's not the same Allison who meets the Snow Queen in a casino, or the same Steve who meets Eddie in the forest.

It might sound confusing, but that's love, and as the author -- me -- says, "It is not the nouns. The miracle is the adverbs, the way things are done." A dazzling page-turner, this novel shows an internationally acclaimed storyteller at the height of his astonishing powers.

Performed by Oliver Wyman

About this title

About the Author

Daniel Handler has written three novels under his own name, including The Basic Eight, Watch Your Mouth, and Adverbs, and many books under the name Lemony Snicket, including All the Wrong Questions, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and the picture book 13 Words.

From the Back Cover

Hello. I am Daniel Handler, the author of this book. Did you know that authors often write the summaries of their books that appear here on the package? You might want to think of that the next time you read something like, "A dazzling page-turner, this novel shows an internationally acclaimed storyteller at the height of his astonishing powers."

Adverbs is a novel about love -- a bunch of different people, in and out of different kinds of love. At the start of the novel, Andrea is in love with David -- or maybe it's Joe -- who instead falls in love with Peter in a taxi. At the end of the novel, it's Joe who's in the taxi, falling in love with Andrea, although it might not be Andrea, and in any case it might not be the same Andrea, as Andrea is a very common name. So is Allison, who is married to Adrian in the middle of the novel, although in the middle of the ocean she considers a fling with Keith and also with Steve, whom she meets in an automobile, unless it's not the same Allison who meets the Snow Queen in a casino, or the same Steve who meets Eddie in the forest.

It might sound confusing, but that's love, and as the author -- me -- says, "It is not the nouns. The miracle is the adverbs, the way things are done." A dazzling page-turner, this novel shows an internationally acclaimed storyteller at the height of his astonishing powers.

Performed by Oliver Wyman

Reviews

In 17 intricately linked short stories, Handler brings to life a vivid group of young San Franciscans who are all at some point of falling in or out of love. There's the petulant, jealous yet somehow endearing Helena, a British woman who's followed her husband to America; there's Lila, who breaks her fellow movie-theater ticket-taker's heart even as her own body is shut down with a rare disease; and Keith, once Lila's insensitive boyfriend and later a comic book artist. Some characters show up frequently while others are just walk-ons, but the collection develops as a whole, with the same jokes and anecdotes and snippets of song lyrics or dialogue interwoven throughout with Handler's characteristic metaliterary style. Wyman does an excellent job with the characters' various accents, and he has mastered Handler's ironic tone. However, listeners trying to follow all the story threads may wish they had a print copy of the book to better enjoy Handler's wit and creativity in crafting this collection of fascinating lives.
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In a novel too clever for its own good, Daniel Handler, who also writes as Lemony Snicket, explores a big topic: love between people and love between people and the universe. The odd collection of vignettes jumps from one chapter to another and from one set of characters to another, all or none of whom may be related. Oliver Wyman captures the quirkiness of the story line, using flawless timing to highlight every comic nuance and a masterfully light touch on the many confusing characters. Nonetheless, while Handler shows creative genius writing as Snicket, this effort proves to be a series of unfortunate events. R.L.L. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061149845
• ISBN 13: 9780061149849
• Binding: Audio CD