Crochet Can You See

Pretty Good Story, Horrible Narrator!

Revisado: 05-20-20

As so many other reviews remark about this narrator, I don't understand how this was found acceptable in the recording room and by the editor.

For the story, not one of Beaton's best, but with a good narrator it would have been more enjoyable. Minerva could have had more personable qualities to like her and sympathize with her. This also lacked the usual amount of satire in Beaton's books that makes hers stand out in the Romance category.

Narrator:
> Mispronounced many words.
> Voice fluctuations did not match the nuances in the sentence.
> Sounded hoarse, maybe a cigarette smoker.
> Unrefined, with an accent that could work for the servants, but not the genteel.
> Pausing at random points in sentences.
> Most irritating to me was the breathless, overly dramatic reading of innocuous descriptions that required none of that. "She TOOK her (pause) LACE HANDKERCHIEF (pause) out of HER RETICULE! If a scene was truly dramatic, her over the top narration made it sound almost mocking.

I listened to the next book in the series, which was better than this one as far as the writing, but I just couldn't take the narrator anymore. I'm skipping the rest in this series.

I found all the other narrators in Beaton's books to be excellent and lovely to listen to. Always bringing the characters to vivid life, immersing me in the story, instead of repeatedly jarring me out of it.

I really can't understand why this narrator was kept past the first one. Or why they didn't get another one to re-read the narration.

Dore ruined what looked to be an enjoyable series.

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One of Beaton's Best!

Revisado: 04-29-20

Fun, suspense, surprises, & of course, romance. I listened to it in one sitting while I did my crafts.

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Good Story, Awful Narrator

Revisado: 04-27-20

I enjoy all of MC Beaton's books, although most of the plot lines are similar, the creativity of each different story keep me interested. Even addicted!

My favorite series is The Poor Relations. I wish it had kept going. I grew to love the main characters.

Hearing them narrated by an English woman makes them feel alive & in the moment. And at the same time are soothing; perfect for relaxing at bedtime.

All previous narrators have been excellent, with each character sounding like their described personalities & gender.

Not in this case. She plodded along, trying too hard to sound gentle & lulling, sounding like she was saying each word to the beat of a metronome.

Her female voices were acceptable, though not varied enough. It was her male voices that almost made me end early more than once. But my curiosity as to the wonderful details woven into them, differentiating stories with the same basic plots , make them thoroughly enjoyable.

Her male voices were often nasal & similar to each other. But it was the streaming monotone that was seriously irritating.

Because the other narrators have been so good, I'm very surprised at the choise of this one. A relative of the producer?

I'm going to skip any other books read by this narrator. I highly suggest listening to the sample before getting this book, in case you don't find the narration as repellent as I.

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GOON SQUAD-GOON SQUAD-GOON-SQUAD! AMAZING Narrator

Revisado: 10-04-18

This is for all 3 books:
I want MORE! Jonathan, you left a cliffhanger...3 YEARS ago!! Please, say more is coming & soon!

Review on what I'd call a Noir Comedy: Too much fun! With appropriate sad or touching points. But, continuous creative, imaginative characters & story made the fun, the funny, the heartache, & even the most gruesome scenes fabulous! I stayed up all night listening. And, I've listened again. Except for the "Exterminating Angel." Great story, but a little to sad to repeat so soon.

I can't say which character I liked the best. They each had their own amusing idiosyncrasies &, even Ian, at least one soft place in their hearts. Each has, appropriately since they are human, an array of emotions, attitudes, etc. Not just the "Ta-da! I'm here to save the day!"

The between chapter retro super-hero music was perfect. Pumped you up & added to the feel of the story. The narrator was the most amazing I've heard yet. Her range makes it hard to believe she is all these character!. Not just a lower, husky voice for a man or soft falsetto for a child, her voices are as different as the characters themselves. I've already bought 2 of her other works.

Warning: There are extremely gruesome scenes. In detail. And other disturbing scenes. There are many comedic moments, especially in the first book, but some downright depressing ones, too. In fact, if it weren't for the amazingly superb majority, I'd have taken a star off for the declining comedy & increasing depressing scenes, especially in the second book. But, like I said, the majority is amazingly superb & makes up for it. I know it's not a Disney tale, but I would really like more of the 1st book's comedy to come back. Those opposing extremes are what made me say:
Goon Squad! Goon Squad! Goon Squad!

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Excellent "After School TV Special" for adolescents.

Revisado: 07-13-18

I've read a lot of books from a child's perspective, but this is the first that felt like it was written FOR teen girls. Otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. I don't know if it's possible, but I think it should be categorized as at least both that & adult as a head's up.

I can't specifically explain why this felt that way to me. But it felt so much so, I checked the book's description more than once!

Of course, every reader's opinion is subjective & this also might not be an issue with some either way.

With most books, I first read or listen to a sample. But because I'd loved "The Nightingale" by this author, I'd thought it unnecessary.

Note: extreme violence from the father could be too much for some. Also, important information on a specific topic, that is a spoiler, is at the end of this review!

Though it's no more violence than you'd see on TV & is with the message that women should leave the situation, no matter what. And that they must do so immediately; before the definitely increasing physical & mental damage. As well as the increasing possibility of a reaction that would only add to the trauma (I'm purposefully being vague).

This is a fascinating story of life off the grid in the wilds of Alaska. I definitely would have loved to have read it as a teen. Not to mention, as even by the 1980s, information & education on abuse, let alone legal protection, was next to nil for women.

Personally, this book would have been very helpful. In most part for showing the strength of a young girl & how this helped her to survive. And, often requiring even more strength, her more difficult battle to get away.

For those reasons alone, I highly suggest giving this to both adolescent (the earlier the better I think) girls AND boys.

Boys? Who better, as the usual source of the violence or the protection/support from, greatly benefiting seeing from the point of view of girls and women; as well as both the positive and negative roles they can be!

SPOILER -Probably important information for parents:

Although sex is only alluded to (none abusive), the young woman, at the age of 18, (legal age in Alaska) gets pregnant. There are positive and negative repercussions, ending in her keeping the child, with it being an excellent thing for her & her family. A few things you might want to talk about with your child at some point during or after reading this.
-Premarital sex.
-Unprotected sex, risking pregnancy and STDs.
-Single motherhood (in this story, it's not the choice of the parents).

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Profound strength & love survive brutal hatred.

Revisado: 01-15-18

I will write a full review when/if I'm able to find the words that can describe this story (without spoilers), giving it the justice it deserves.

It has left me drained as only the most well written and narrated audio book can do. Having been taken to the full extent of every feeling, both positive and negative, I'm mentally & emotionally spent.

Suffice to say, it is not for the faint of heart.

I'm going to go read some Dr. Seuss books now.

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So well written & read, at times I was with him.

Revisado: 11-29-17

I found this audiobook because George Newbern is one of my favorite narrators. This story is now one of my favorite works of nonfiction.

Alvarenga (SP?) is an extraordinary man. Not just his perseverance, and his creative methods to survive physically, but even more, his imaginative ways to survive mentally.

As usual, I won't go into describing the plot or characters, as you can find that in many other reviews.

I will tell you what I think a reader must enjoy to appreciate & find this book worth reading:

Adventure, with terrifying, sometimes gruesome, descriptions.
Grueling, deadly hardship.
Incessant strength, both physical & mental.
All the above with moments of levity & even joy.

The ability to sympathize with intense fear, loneliness, despair, hope, triumph, & deep love.

Of course, having had any similar, though not to his extreme, experiences of aching hunger, maddening thirst, desperate loneliness, & an appreciation of the most basic necessities to live would make reading this all the more desirable.

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