Alex

Low Hanging Fruit

Revisado: 06-03-24

I wanted to enjoy the story, but it just felt very flat compared to other Scottish romances I've read recently. Think $4.99 Harlequin novel from the grocery store for this one. Not very Scottish- much more random fantasy / Shakespeare vibes. The narrator was decent and he did do the Scottish accents at least.

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Informative & Interesting!

Revisado: 04-21-24

I'm not an academic- I'm just a mom wanting to understand Jesus better. This book gives so much context to life in the time of Christ! It was fascinating, informative & interesting, not too hard to digest, and really well-researched. I usually hate when authors read their own work, but this author actually did an excellent job.

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Fascinating

Revisado: 03-06-24

I listened to this, and then went and re-listened to it again in the same day. Fascinating take on modern sin. I hope there are more on this topic.

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Great Commentary on the Mormon Church!

Revisado: 03-06-24

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this podcast is! Boyack talks about a wide variety of interesting topics, from how politics influence the Mormon church to polygamy to did Jesus have a wife? And he cites all kinds of interesting sources, LDS and non, early church history and modern. He points out when they conflict with each other too, or where policies have changed, which I especially love. It's well-resesrched and well-done! It's really interesting.

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A Bunch of Garbage- Inaccurate

Revisado: 07-19-22

The DASH diet and Med diet are both plant-based diets low in meat & dairy. Both diets include healthy, whole food carbs and fruit. This author starts out sounding okay, but as you read, she starts recommending cutting out fruit and carbs and eating lots of dairy. She should've written a keto book, because she clearly doesn't understand the DASH or Med diets at all. Don't purchase this. I wish I could return it.

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Loved it!

Revisado: 07-27-16

Inspirational story. Incredible heroine. Great narrator. Adult material: deals with the realities of the 1970's foster care system, rape, drugs, violence, and gangs. But the light at the end of the tunnel is so bright. Loved it.

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So basic it's useless.

Revisado: 07-30-15

This book is full of suggestions like "recycle," "don't buy bottled water," and "take public transportation!" Duh. I purchased the book to learn more about a green lifestyle and have come away with nothing.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Not As Good as Reading It

Revisado: 08-18-12

What did you like best about this story?

The book is wonderful! Funny and useful and so true!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

But Ronda Rich is a terrible narrator! She is fairly monotone and her voice is high pitched and annoying to listen to. Also, she slurs words rather than enunciating! For example, "strength" is "strenth." I am used to (and LOVE) Southern accents, but Rich's accent is a country Southern and it's terrible.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Don't Waste Your Time!

Revisado: 05-11-12

What would have made Empress Orchid better?

The writing is terrible! Anyone who studies writing knows that an author should "show" and not "tell." Anchee Min only tells. I could have survived the telling if she had used the beautiful language and metaphor that I enjoy so much in Asian themed literature--of course she did not.

What was most disappointing about Anchee Min’s story?

I listened for 3 hours. The girl talks to a few characters, submits herself to the registry office, is nervous in front of the Emperor, watches while they get ranked, and finally visits the punishment chamber as a warning to the girls selected. The story DOES NOT MOVE.
I enjoy most Asian literature because of the beautiful language and also because of the Buddhist themes of duty, destiny, honor, accepting pain, etc. This story lacks those elements.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I read many reviews before I purchased the audiobook about how the narrator is terrible. But I didn't find the narrator nearly as awful as the story itself. It's true the narrator takes a long breath between sentences and is heard to swallow and smack a few times (4 times I noticed in the first 3 hours).

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Sickness. I finally decided this book was not worth listening to when I got to the point where the main character visits the punishment chamber to find the old Emperor's favorite courtesan. The courtesan had her legs and arms chopped off and was forced to live in the dungeon with "green oozing down her chin" and further disgusting description. The author has successfully focused on all the gruesome faults without any of the wonderful virtues of Asian culture.

Any additional comments?

Like I said, the narration is poor, the story is absolutely awful--just don't read this one.

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