The Dogs of Babel

I knew that whatever book I read after Infinite Jest was going to seem sparse in comparison, so I just pulled a random book from the To Read shelves and ended up with a first novel, The Dogs of Babel, by Carolyn Parkhurst.  I’m enjoying books that don’t set everything up for the reader, and this one leaves some nice room to figure things out on your own.  The central mystery is whether the narrator’s wife fell to her death accidentally or committed suicide.  The writing is clear and fluid and the characters reveal themselves gradually.  The narrator’s voice changes as he moves through his grief and brings you along with him.  It’s very nicely done —