A Dark Night

by Edward P. Jones

A stormy evening leads to a dark night of the soul.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook

Audiobook

About the author

Edward Paul Jones is an American novelist and short story writer. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the International Dublin Literary Award for his 2003 novel The Known World.

Reviews

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good humor and good tone shifts.

Ending was lackluster/sudden

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was like listening to an uninteresting tale by an elderly person.
In fact, this story depicts just that.

[Joy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing characters who are easy to be drawn into. A haunting story.

[Amy Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another slice-of-life entry from Levar Burton reads, but this one I enjoyed more than most that give that vibe. I think it's because the characters reminded me of my grandma's coffee club: she and people she used to work with, and other friends, would get together at 10 am for coffee most days (I presume this started while they were still working and got a literal 10 am coffee break from work). When we visted, my mom and I would tag along. The sort of talking and gossiping and complaining, and telling and re-telling of stories... the flavor of A Dark Night just kind of takes me back there.

As for the story itself, it's these elderly women who live in the same apartment building having a get-together, when a huge storm hits, and they share stories of other storms they've lived through (some more horrific than others). I see other reviews complaining about the ending, but I thought it worked quite well. My take: All the posturing and in-fighting is just an act, and when the storm comes, it brings out what's really there and what really matters.

[Eva Therese · Rating 4 out of 5]

First part of the story features a group of elderly lady at a prayermeeeting and it just amazingly funny. It reminds me of the Discworld novels whenever there's a congregation of all the witches.
Then the story takes a turn into something dark and inexplicable and it's still amazingly well written and with a true sense of loss and dread at the meaninglessness of it all.
The last part, I have to admit, kind of lost me.

But overall a very good part of the LeVar Burton podcast.

[Tim W.]

Read to me by the Levar Burton Podcast

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of old ladies hang out together in an apartment during a thunderstorm.

[Felecia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing story. The characters feel real. I am left wanting more information. The end is abrupt. Listened to via Levar Burton Reads. Levar's voices for these characters are spot on.