Donna

THE BEST YET!

Revisado: 11-06-18

I have read (via Audible) 15 of Cathy Glass' books, and I would rate every one as 5 stars. However, this one tops them all. It is an edge-of-your-seat story from beginning to end, so I wouldn't want to tell anything about any of the story. Suffice it to say that it is an amazing book, wonderfully narrated. If you like Cathy's stories of fostering in England (I'm in the U.S.) don't miss this one! The best yet!!!

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A Wast of my Time

Revisado: 02-14-15

What would have made My Prison Without Bars better?

I have no serious doubt that the author suffered a horrendously traumatic, abusive childhood. Child abuse is a particular interest of mine (I have a Master's in Counseling) but this was the worst case I have ever heard of. However, then she goes on, hour after hour, recounting the series of ludicrously abusive, vicious, humiliating relationships for the next decade or so. It came to the point where I finally thought, "She is making these up - no one could possibly run into this many psychopaths, both male and female." IF they were even true, not just a literary devise, she could have given a brief synopsis of the results of being conditioned to accept dysfunctional relationships, and spared hour after hour of repetitive details of her ill-fated sex life.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was a total blank. All I know is that she was still married to a jerk who cheated on her - repeatedly - then saw the light after she was brutally beaten and raped by (and murdered) the jealous son of her original assailant. Left me completely hanging.

Which character – as performed by Em Eldridge – was your favorite?

NONE! However, I would like to compliment the reader for her ability to remain animated and credible through the reading of this awful, and pointlessly lengthy, book.

What character would you cut from My Prison Without Bars?

Taylor, the one the whole book was about, and all of her lovers, rapists, abusers, in-laws, relatives, etc. In short, the whole book.

Any additional comments?

For every guy she dated over the years after her escape from her step father, she gave a full - and repetitive - recounting of his tongue forcing its way into her mouth, the incredible tingle and heat moving down from her chest to her "girl parts," him pulling on her nipples, then forcing himself, or trying to force himself, on her, followed in one way or another by a horrible betrayal. She seems to think she invented sex and orgasm. In addition to the story stretching credulity, she is a terrible writer. She mis-uses or over-uses many common words and colloquialisms, such as "testicular fortitude" instead of "intestinal fortitude." Nearly every man she met had "cerulian eyes" or, later in the book, "onyx eyes." I simply think her goal was to write a soft-core porn novel under the guise of non-fiction. Much as I sympathize with victims of child abuse, I think a large proportion of this book was simply invented in her over-active imagination. Sorry, Taylor.

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Adolescent, anti-choice novela.

Revisado: 10-12-14

What disappointed you about An Unforgivable Secret?

The story goes on forever, many times after great places to stop. About 3/4 of the way through, when I had invested too much time to quit, it turned out to be an anti-choice tract, followed by heavy doses of religion. Amish girl cheats on fiance, gets preggers, in desperation has abortion, then can no longer have babies (doppilies), has to go to 'Englishers" (Christians) to get cured of post-abortion trauma. She tries but fails to become an anit-abortion activist, standing in front of clinics to stop girls from going in. She ends up adopting a "doppily" from a teen mother as her penance to "herr" (god). The story was cute and well-developed, but way too long, and aimed at adolescent girls. Nothing in the book really says much to prevent teen pregnancies, just to condemn termination. The religious angle should have been made clear (other than that it was Amish) in the synopsis, as this is one factor that would absolutely stop me from buying the book.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

That it took WAY too long to get to it.

What didn’t you like about Lisa Larsen’s performance?

She does have a very comforting, gentle voice, but not monotonous. Her voice was animated enough that I maintained interest in the story.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from An Unforgivable Secret?

Many many times the narrator seemed not to be aware of the tone, inflection, etc, that the author obviously had in mind. It was distracting and I had to stop and think what a sentence really "meant" as opposed to a rote recitation of the words.

Any additional comments?

Unless you like teen girl directed, Christian, anti-choice literature, pass this one up - and probably all of the author's novels.

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Captivating!

Revisado: 11-28-12

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes - It is a deep examination of a foreign culture of which I, at least, was very unaware

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, SHOCK! I guess most Westerners feel that there is an element of prostitution to Geishas. However, I was quite taken aback at how institutionalized it was, and how the Geishas and other Japanese view this profession with awe and honor.Even more shocking was the SALE of the girl's virginity at an exhorbitant price, which goes to her overseers, not to her. And the fact that the Geishas are little more than slaves to their "mothers" and their other sponsors.

My srongest reaction was to be heartsick at this great and tragic gender-based exploitation.

Any additional comments?

I found it so entrancing that I bought the movie, which I had always wanted to see anyway. I do hear that the book is much better, but I still want the visual experience.

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Extremely interesting!

Revisado: 10-15-12

Would you listen to The Serial Killer Whisperer again? Why?

This is a complex, disturbing, and ultimately vindicating story of a young man who, as the result of a head injury, developed a consuming interest in serial killers and their minds. The author himself attributes his success at probing the minds of these killers in part as a loss of the normal judgement that humans make about these monsters. A look into the mind of the homicidally obsessed is always valuable, and this young man has a lot to teach us.

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Interesting, but way too long.

Revisado: 10-15-12

If you could sum up Angela's Ashes in three words, what would they be?

The author/narrator painted a very poignant portrait of life in a divided, poor Ireland. His honest Irish accent added greatly to the story. However, there was too much detail and the book was much too long for the subject matter.

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EXCELLENT BOOK!

Revisado: 09-06-12

If you could sum up The God Delusion in three words, what would they be?

Validation for athiests.

Have you listened to any of Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

NOOOOO! It's over 17 hours! With under an hour daily to devote, it took me 3 weeks!

Any additional comments?

Richard Dawkins makes a compelling case not only for alternatives to a supernatural god, but also for coping with being an "island" among the religious. His knowledge of religious books, especially the christian bible, is amazing. Since old time gospel music always gives me chills and/or makes me tap my feet, I especially appreciated his thoughts on maintaining the comforting aspects of the faiths of our childhood. Another thing I really liked was that Richard and Lalla took turns reading. It really broke up any potential monotony of listening to the same reader for hours.

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