bgilmore

I was intrigued by Benny’s life as a teen in grief and in love.

Revisado: 11-03-21

I liked the story, overall. The details of the lives of each character,their connectedness to each other was truly a grand weaving. Benny and the Aleph, Benny and his mother, the Aleph and the Bottleman, No-Good and Annabelle, but most intriguing is the relationship between Benny and The Book. Much philosophy expressed about life, books, consumerism, society… serious real-life dealings with hoarding, mental health issues, death, drug addiction, alcoholism, single-mom, eviction… as well great compassion as others try to help this needy grieving family. I was fascinated by the crows and their part in the life of Benny & Annabelle.
The narrator: I wasn’t too pleased with the whining voice of Benny. Benny didn’t whine all the time, and he is a boy who lost his dad at a young age so I can understand the need for the emotional expressions. The narrator had more female voices and youth voices to speak.., I wanted to hear a real female voice when Annabelle spoke. Still, this book kept me listening because I truly wanted to see how the author resolved the various problems and dilemmas presented at the beginning. And I wanted to hear more from The Book… wisdom itself.

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If you've seen the Series, listen to the book!

Revisado: 01-12-21

I had watched the Queen's Gambit on Netflix... completely enthralled by the story. Knowing, from experience, that the books are better than the movie, I knew I had to read the book. My eyes have cataracts. I was waiting for surgery in the middle of the pandemic, therefore I couldn't read the book. Thank goodness I could listen to the book. A few scenes were different, as is usual when comparing a book to the movie. I became a fan of Walter Tevis, and went on to listen to two of his other books. As for The Queen's Gambit, it might help if you know some basics of the Chess game, but it's not required. The tension in the story is constantly changing, from restful and thoughtful to wound up and anxious. It's a journey within this one young girl's mind, throughout her life from young girl to young adult. There's a lot of chess moves action, descriptions... one might think that would be boring, but the way it plays into the character's life, it actually feels right. I have minimal chess knowledge, but I must say I was thinking about buying a chess set before I finished listening to this book. A nice set, A set with heavy pieces!

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I look forward to my next time of Wintering!

Revisado: 01-12-21

I was pleased when I heard the author speaking of her book on NPR one day back in Nov/Dec 2020. I made it a point to see if Audible had the book, and there it was so I ordered it. Listened to it right away over a period of about a week. I listened to it as I walked every day. This book was written to help you recognize when you are in the wintering phases of your life, and it can happen often, or once in awhile. That it was published in 2020 smack in the middle of the pandemic seemed serendipitous. Instead of saying I was in a period of depression back in 1993, I can now say I was experiencing a time of wintering. What a restful, comfortable word for a time of sadness. Wintering is a positive way to look at a time that seems otherwise dark. I had often described it as "hibernation", because that's what it feels like when I withdraw to my desk and start writing. I will keep this book. I may even buy the hardback version just because it would be a perfect addition to my books of wisdom. I recommend to this anyone who is uncomfortable with self-retreats. May tells us it's okay to be sad. She tells us how to experience it in a healthy, restful, and forgiving way, with many references to nature, and personal stories of her own wintering journey. The narrator did an excellent job reading Katherine May's book, with a lovely British accent. I thoroughly enjoyed this audible book and will listen to it again when I feel a "Wintering" time approaching. I will embrace it.

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Well Told Story!

Revisado: 01-12-21

I'll have to admit the reason I picked this Audible book was because of the narrator, Richard Armitage. I've seen him in movies, I love the man's voice, his accent, his acting. And I remember reading Agatha Christie novels when I was in high school (50 years ago). Finally, I'd seen a movie based on one of her mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express, so I thought I'd give 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles" a listen to. I was not disappointed. Richard's voice changed easily from character to character... I never lost my place as a listener as to who was speaking to whom. I was completely drawn into the story, which I listened to every night before I fell asleep, and during my 1-2 hour walks outside. I thought I had guessed who the killer was, but I knew Agatha Christie's penchant for leading the reader off the trail, so I'd try to reason why it would be the least likely suspect. I loved the depth of her characters, I sympathized with each one of them, even the ones who appeared to be villainous, right up to the end. I don't usually turn to a mystery as my choice for a good read (I am a SciFiction and Fantasy reader), but Richard Armitage's narration drew me to this book, and I was glad to have become an Agatha Christie fan once more. Well done to everyone who made this book happen!

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Not for me

Revisado: 01-12-21

I tried this Audible selection because I had been listening to books every night. I'd set the timer for 45 minutes, and would fall asleep within 30 minutes. The next day I'd have to rewind about 15 minutes to begin where I last remembered the story. But I liked falling asleep to someone reading to me, so I thought this book of guided meditations would be perfect. I listened and listened, following the instructions. It was very slow. Lots of long silent moments, of sounds, of music with no words. This kept me awake wondering if it was okay to fall asleep and miss the rest of it. Was I supposed to fall asleep in the middle of the process? Did I have to start at the beginning again tomorrow to do the routine properly? The breathing, the relaxing... I felt my breathing slow down, my heart rate slowed down. It worked, but it was totally boring for me. And I was still awake an hour later. I decided I had been doing okay falling asleep while listening to a good story. I'd rather have to rewind the next day to find my place. Guided Meditations are not for me, I guess. This one at least. I haven't tried any others.

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The BEST in every category!

Revisado: 10-15-20

Absolutely riveting every episode. I am a science fiction/fantasy fan, but I also enjoy historic fiction and non-fiction, and biographies. Since my eye requires cataract surgery in the coming year, I turned to Audible. Of all the audible podcasts I’ve listened to, and of all the performances, The Sea in the Sky is outstanding: story plot, characters, and the performance/reading ... I loved how quickly I adapted to the sound cues, how I felt like I was in the submersible with Bianca, or back on earth in the control room with Carol. The background music and sound effects are superb. Total sensual and emotional experience. I want more like this! Writers: I related to the characters as they experienced anxious moments, fear, doubt, joy, surprise and wonder. Thank you for this audible story!

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas