AvidReader

Gut wrenching but worth it

Revisado: 05-04-24

As always Hannah wrings out your heart and stomps on it. Not much is written about the nurses of the Vietnam war. This tells how they too suffered and were disregarded when they returned home.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Complex characters, unique story

Revisado: 05-04-24

Sometimes lyrical sometimes simple and direct. More complex than first appears. Beautiful writing especially the way the characters relate to each other.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

So it's not just me...

Revisado: 12-09-23

This is my fourth time listening to the entire series. I am generally not THAT much of a fantasy fan. I really prefer historical fiction. So like this, but without the magicks and dragons and such. I never had HBO so I didn't get to watch the series and I wanted to experience the crazy huge world and intricacies Martin somehow kept going for years and years. I appreciate the massive task that must be. Some tropes do get mighty repetitive though, and holy moly this story is SO SO SO sexist, but it is what it is and I let that pass. Because ... in this case the adventure* is fun and passes the time.

But the narration? Oh, SO. MUCH. SPIT! What everyone else said... This enormous cast of characters really, really deserved AT LEAST one female narrator, and perhaps more than one male. Dotrice is a gifted actor, but he IS an OLD** man and he struggles to or simply cannot sound like a young female. Plus LOTS of mistakes ... which partly is a lack of editing—of the audio—but also the writing! Like did Martin keep every word he ever wrote? Seems like it.

Anyway the series is a great story that we hope maybe will possibly get finished? And worth a listen, but maybe it'll get done with a new narrator someday.

*I never really appreciated before how much Martin draws on Dungeons and Dragons RPG tropes until I noticed it this time through. I got to play D&D with some friends a bit in the last few years ... yeah, Martin was definitely a D&D DM.

**I am not an ageist. I am quite OLD myself, but I know my limitations.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A quiet masterpiece

Revisado: 09-03-23

Such a vivid story about a place where nothing much happens. If you need action and exciting plots this probably isn’t for you. Holt is a little town with ordinary people and their ordinary life problems but in author Haruf’s hand are rendered with exquisite simplicity and emotional depth. You won’t soon forget them.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Still the victor …

Revisado: 05-15-23

I have listened to this series, I don’t know, 3 or 4 times. I am not a teenager, far from it, more like a granny. But this story hits all the right notes at the right times to keep me entertained and anticipating the next moment even though I know the outcome so well. Ms. Collins is to be lauded for really, really understanding what makes not only a good story but a good drama work. Her experience as a screen writer shows. The pacing is perfect. There is just enough: suspense, horror, touching moments, humor, and love to get one through the uncomfortable moments and worrying about the characters to keep you reading (or listening). It is no surprise at all that this made a cracking good movie series too. And, I was only going to listen to book one again… but damn that cliffhanger ending! Well here comes book two again! What the heck, I enjoy this each and every time. Also, Ms McCormick gives a really great performance every time too!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Devolves midway

Revisado: 08-24-22

Starts out as an intriguing story but devolves quickly into a series of horror vignettes with no plot or reason for being. Narrator was good. Stuck it out about 2/3 in and then I had to bail.

Stephen King finally got past his lousy endings problems. This author hasn’t yet. The first half really was promising. Creepy?Yes, as was intended, but he just couldn’t figure out how to ratchet up the drama and wrap the story.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Wow. Phillipa Gregory is a wizard.

Revisado: 12-01-21

I have long enjoyed Ms. Gregory's Tudor era stories. I was surprised and delighted with her Tidelands series. It wasn't a delightful kind of story, but it was a masterful work as is this one. A Respectable Trade just blew me away.

I didn't know much about the institution of slavery in England. So I don't know how true to life the depiction of slaves in England really is. I did know that the trade was extremely brutal; I knew that people in the trade and many, if not most, slave owners thought of the slaves as stock—less than human—like cattle. It's hard to hear about their cruel, murderous treatment even now. As a white person in the US with known ancestors in colonial Virginia, and later in the South, I am quite sure that at least some of my people had to have owned slaves. They weren't wealthy but almost any farmer who could afford it, did own a slave or two; cotton and tobacco required a lot of labor. It's a shameful history that we all must come to grips with.

The author handles the subject well, and I especially appreciated the shifting points of view. The parallels between the lives of Frances, the spinster turned contracted wife of the slaver, and that of her African charges were subtly, but effectively drawn. She is almost powerless, but really doesn't know it; her self image of respectability has blinded her.

Mehuru (not sure of the spelling) is clearly more a gentleman than Frances's husband, Josiah. Josiah and his sister, Sarah, are portrayed with delicious despicableness! They are just genuinely horrible, and yet one can feel a tiny bit of sympathy as they were also doing the best they could in the system they thought "a respectable trade".

The book also illustrates the caste system in England that largely exists to this modern day. Not as blatant as in the 18th century perhaps, but certainly it's on display everyday, and even codified in the customs and laws of the UK. Like it or not it's still true. These "lessons" are not obviously stated in the book, but Gregory has woven them deftly into the story.

What can I say about narrator, Adjoa Andoh? But WOW. She is amazing. So many voices, old, young, African, English upper crust and lower class, all of them rendered in not only believable accents but with consistency throughout. She IS TRULY AMAZING!

Highly recommended if you like historical fiction, well-rounded characters, and rich details.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Unexpected. And worth the time.

Revisado: 11-17-21

This went in a direction I never expected! I really enjoyed it. Philippa Gregory’s books about the Tudors are always enjoyable but we know that story so well, they just add color and texture to what we already know. This one was different. You really must listen to Tidelands first as it’s more like parts 1-2 than two books. I’m kind of hoping she follows up with Ned in the colonies.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Who knew Steve Bannon was so funny?

Revisado: 08-19-21

So incredulous it’s probably all true. If we had to suffer through the disaster that was Trump POTUS, at least it was a good story.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A fun Vegas murder mystery

Revisado: 08-15-21

I can’t wait to read more of Copper Black’s misadventures. She’s a plucky unlikely hero.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña