The Color of Dad

A Short Story

By: Sara Davis

Narrated by: Neil Hellegers

Length: 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Told in the form of a letter from an academic to his estranged brother, The Color of Dad is a darkly comic short story of a married couple, Nathaniel and Cate, in crisis, from the critically acclaimed author of The Scapegoat.

I don’t agree with many of the words you’ve used, but I will give you this: They do have a way of looking at you sideways that can be unsettling. So begins a letter from Nathaniel, a PhD candidate who’s recently moved from the east coast to Orinda, California. Nathaniel knows that his brother, Brice, who still lives near their mother in Michigan, couldn’t possibly understand the nuances of his and Cate’s new life: their eclectic community, their work in academia, and the liberal, alternative thinking that shapes the way they’ve handled their fertility issues. But here, he will do his best to explain, and in the process, unravel a poignant psychological portrait of a man desperate for a happy family.

©2021 Sara Davis (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC.

I was left speechless.

I was very confused w/ this story. I will probably have to give it another listen to better understand.

Quirky

This reading by John Lithgow was sad and funny at the same time. I enjoyed it.

Not worth the listen.

This being written as a bitter letter was very disjointed. The phrasing and descriptions did not fit with the voice of a letter in the slightest. The character's sizeism was really distasteful, particularly if his sister in law is pregnant? Horrible, regardless. I don't mind the unusual coping experiment but it could have been much more appealing presented in some other way.

Fertility Rant

This was a short story about a man writing to his estranged brother about parenthood. It tries hard to be funny. It’s a neurotic rant about fertility. Makes me quite proud I’m childfree. More people are deciding not to have kids and I hope we will finally start seeing some titles about the childfree choice.

hmmm...

I'm not sure what to think here...initially I thought...I am just too stupid to get the message...then after reading other reviews. realized I am not alone...confusing as hell!! well narrated...I think!?!
a freebie, so not able to be choosy! 😃

Odd

The narrator sort of saves this incredibly weird story. I honestly don’t know what to think of it, but I can’t say I wasn’t entertained

sad... odd, about the loss of achieving fatherhood

I imagine that the author wrote this while grieving over the loss of an unborn child. It is a tale of heartache and loneliness and unfortunately, without any resolve. I am glad it was limited to 40 minutes because any more would be too depressing to handle.

Strangely the narration was great.

An enigmatic book about grief and infertility

Be prepared to scratch your head. This book is strange and confusing but carries powerful messages if you are willing to search for them.

After finishing the book, I wondered how the married couple could move past their grief. Should they set aside societal expectations and embrace their “children” (rabbits) by creating an unconventional family? Or would it be better for them to send their rabbits to another family, knowing that they will never view them as true pets or true children?

The protagonists in this story are stuck in an impossible situation. They will never be normal. The beautiful life they hoped for years ago seems entirely out of reach. Even if they cover up the strangeness of their situation to save face in the world, THEY will know that their life is disastrously far from the ideal, normal life held by others in their family. So, why try?

There is so much to be gleaned from this book—I only highlighted a few themes and questions. I hope those who read this book will take the time to intentionally analyze its content before critiquing it.

Huh?

Pointless, confusing, weird. I have no idea what was supposed to be going on, or what the point was. Don't waste your time.

I don’t pretend to understand this odd story

The performance is fantastic.

I admit that I do not understand this story. Hopefully someone will explain it all in a future review. I was lost but couldn’t stop listening. Good thing it was short.