The Driftway

Hannah Gordon's measured reading of this thoughtful but ponderous story does little to bring it to life. Written when both authors and readers enjoyed a slower pace of storytelling, The Driftway is fine to read as the pace can be varied and the close observation which gives everything an almost equal weight can be skipped. Read aloud, Hannah Gordon can do little to hurry the pace and the very slow start, when Paul and Sandra are questioned in the shop and begin their running away, makes a far too lengthy introduction to the more interesting stories from the past which can help Paul lay down his rage and grief. Lively leaves nothing to chance in her carefully written story; listening to this reading one wishes that, just occasionally, she would do so.