cover image All We Ever Wanted Was Everything

All We Ever Wanted Was Everything

Janelle Brown. Random House Audio, $29.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-7393-5826-9

An unexceptional reading makes the audio version of this satiric work of women's fiction a pleasantly neutral experience. Paul Miller's announcement of his intent to divorce his wife leaves his accomplished housewife-socialite feeling empty and purposeless. Meanwhile, 28-year-old daughter Margaret attempts to hide from the catastrophic failure of her feminist magazine, and 14-year-old Lizzie deals with the consequences of believing that having sex with six guys in three months will make her cool. Rebecca Lowman reads expressively and unobtrusively: she doesn't detract from the text, but she doesn't enhance it, either. This smooth abridgement is acceptable, if not particularly diverting. A Spiegel & Grau hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 7).