Ashley

Charming

Revisado: 03-03-23

This book was absolutely charming and I loved the narration. A fun journey with multiple story threads and I would have never guessed the ending.

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Gross, Boring, Cringey

Revisado: 03-03-23

When it’s not rape, incest and pedophilia, it reads like a genealogy chart and then randomly throws you into a really technical episode of Bob Vila’s This Old House for way too long (I’m not making this up).
There are such random character traits and obsessions, like “Hi, I’m a 50 something blue collar dude who likes fixing old houses and collecting Victorian Christmas ornaments in my spare time.” At one point they go to Destin, Florida for absolutely no reason.
I’d say it didn’t age well but I can’t think of a time when this book wouldn’t have been cringey. The utterly gross ending is not worth the endless, incestuous history lesson.

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Some of Dahl’s Best

Revisado: 07-12-22

I first read this book when I was fourteen. I remember it changed the way I thought about creativity, storytelling and writing. It left a lasting impression on me.

Andrew Scott may not get every one of the accents exactly right, but his elegant narration creates an atmosphere around the stories and your mind can simply walk into them.

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Talk about not aging well...

Revisado: 10-20-20

Oof... under a modern lens, this story certainly doesn’t sit well, but even taking into consideration when the book was written, the blatant misogyny and abuse the protagonist endures at the hands of EVERY male character seems absurd. I kept waiting for the story to redeem itself, but, wow... no. Is it satire? Tongue in cheek? Am I missing the point?
The narrator was great and the words well-written but the plot and characters are stuck in patriarchal quicksand where “love” isn’t anywhere to be found.

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esto le resultó útil a 9 personas

For Love of Eleanor

Revisado: 08-23-18

Eleanor Oliphant is wonderfully brought to life by Cathleen McCarron. You will have a smile on your face and a tear in your eye after spending time with this amazing character.

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Hauntingly Ambiguous

Revisado: 08-23-18

The story grows around you like ivy until you’re lost within its dark halls. It’s very open to interpretation, but don’t let that stop you from going on the journey.

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Beautifully Written

Revisado: 08-23-18

This is a richly layered fairytale that walks you through seasons and superstitions, leaving you a wild thing with twigs in your hair and berry-stained fingers.

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esto le resultó útil a 6 personas

Granny Soft-Core Overindulgent Rot

Revisado: 07-21-14

This book was described to me as a supernatural play on historical fiction, which sounded great considering I'm also really interested in Scotland and Scottish history. IT IS NOT. Simply put, is a soft-core romance novel for prude, religious types. There's lots of earlobe touching and tops-of-breast caressing, so if you like that sort of thing, you're gonna love this book.

There's also some rather blatant homophobia/sexual prejudice which would be hard to ignore in a great story, much less, a pandering, mediocre one. Again, this book seems really tailored to a certain audience.

As far as the audible version, I believe the main character (the first person voice of the novel) is in her late twenties, but the narrator is in her sixties, and though she does elevate the writing with her dignified and staid read, there is a disconnect between the character and the voice. Especially during the countless, PG-13 love/spanking scenes.

One more thing I just can't let go: You would think the characters all have a nasty case of rosacea or inflammation based on the number of times the writer leans on the word "blush" to describe embarrassment or really, any type of strong emotion. While I realize we're dealing with some really, really white people, it is SO irritatingly repetitive.

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Richly-Told Immigrant Fairy Tale

Revisado: 07-21-14

Wecker seamlessly weaves history, folklore and well-developed, interesting characters, creating a magically immersive experience that will leave you smiling. And the narration couldn't be more perfectly suited to the story.

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Imagination Food

Revisado: 07-07-14

The story is well-written and satisfying. I couldn't stop listening and can't stop thinking about it now that it's finished. It's one of those.

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