Mama C

Give me MORE…

Revisado: 04-12-25

I have listened to “thousands” of Audible books over the years. Good, bad, indifferent - I have only sent a handful back. True crime, classic literature, bios and memoirs, political analysis; my only deficit is contemporary fiction. One thing that will ruin a good “read”/listen is a bad narration.
So, it is with serious trepidation that I choose a book read by the author. Indeed, with this book I cannot explain what took me from an initial reaction of - “Eh, th

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Critical thinking?

Revisado: 11-04-24

I am listening. I want to hear both sides of the story. “Based on research…” Republicans are evil liars… and Democrats are? We are left thinking there is only one side to this story. If you are looking for the truth about “misinformation,” you may have just found it. Everyone is hurt by lying.

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Parental discretion advised

Revisado: 08-06-18

I have had this title in my Wish List for quite a while. Based on listeners' reviews, I tried it. First, I am baffled by the decision to use seven narrators. Men narrating women's voices, women narrating men's voices... it is very distracting and takes away from the flow of the story. I, personally, find that the appropriate selection of female narrators is crucial. For me, a high-pitched, sing-song, saccharine-sweet voice is grating. Granted, there are male narrators who are equally irritating -- this is not a sexist review. However, a narrator's rendition can make or break an audible listening experience.

As far as the prose is concerned -- not my style. I prefer classic fictional literature over contemporary. My general listening habits steer more towards non-fiction biographical works and historical non-fiction. (I will sheepishly admit to a fascination with true-crime stories also.) In addition, the author apparently felt the need to create a work that depicted a very raw version of reality. The graphic description of characters' sexual encounters literally turned my stomach. I am not particularly queasy about intimate or erotic details in writing, but certain scenes in this book border on soft porn. My visceral response was totally unpleasant -- to the point of physical nausea. Purposely creating a character whom the audience dislikes or whose behavior intentionally creates a negative response is an understandable use of poetic license. However, throwing in unnecessary gratuitous sex undermines the point of this narrative.

And there are many valid points here. So many important topics that deserve the attention of society: substance abuse, effects of adoption on children and parents, marital relationships gone awry and the bonds of friendship, to name a few. I have considered returning this one and redeeming my credit. But, I am close to finishing so I will chalk it up to "lesson learned."

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If you are an economist...

Revisado: 04-02-15

Any additional comments?

There are few books that I give up on, but having tried over and over to listen with interest, I am almost ready to say, "No more." Perhaps this could be considered a scholarly work; maybe more suited as a textbook. One needs a flowchart of characters and a passion for and/or a degree in economics to appreciate the plethora of facts recited in this tome. If I were forced to consume the facts in this book, I would prefer to have a print copy, list of characters and an atlas of the world and United States.

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Buyer Beware

Revisado: 02-14-13

What does Sharon Gless bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Narration makes all the difference in the listening experience of books. Sharon Gless uses her dramatic background to bring a soothing yet appropriate tone to this version of Dead by Sunset.

Was Dead by Sunset worth the listening time?

I am an avid reader of Ann Rule's crime stories. I expected to receive the unabridged version of this book. I realized that there were two versions, so I specifically ordered the unabridged version. Or, so I thought. Received the abridged version. How can you condense twenty hours of listening down to three?

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