Jillie

Kind of a downer

Revisado: 07-21-20

The writer does a great job of portraying someone with Tourette's syndrome, but overall the story felt like life sucks and then you die.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Too much graphic violence

Revisado: 06-04-20

Just a word of caution to the unsuspecting as I was that this book contains a fair amount of very graphic violence. Also, unbeknownst to me this is just the first book of apparently a multi-book series. I thought I would get a resolution, but the book abruptly ends.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Not my cup of tea

Revisado: 12-14-19

While this book was without question exhaustively researched, I found it to be anything but uplifting. It portrays a sort of dog eat dog story, that was frankly a bit of a downer. It was quite an eye opener with respect to Noah Webster, who apparently wasn't the gift to dictionary craftsmanship one might have supposed.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Disappointing

Revisado: 10-19-19

The prior books in this series were a light-hearted mystery romp. Unfortunately, this is an example of the difference a good or so-so narrator can make with a novel. The prior books in this series were narrated by Dina Pearlman, who did a wonderful job. I am sorry to report that Marietta DePrima's narration of this book simply did not measure up.

One other criticism is that one of the chapters that belonged in the middle showed up as the final chapter.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Anthropomorphic Life of Trees

Revisado: 05-27-19

I would have to echo other reviews that the author ascribes all kinds of feelings and motivations to trees that it is not possible to scientifically substantiate. Although I am quite open to the idea that trees or plants may have responses that we have yet to understand, the amount of anthropomorphism of the author was more than I could stomach. I kept going back and listening and trying to keep an open mind, but I finally gave up about half way through the book and returned it, which is something I very, very rarely do.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Nice details on bats

Revisado: 04-20-18

This is a sweet story about a little bat named Shade and his adventures in trying to make his way back to his colony after being separated during migration, and his quest for learning the truth of the world. The story includes many interesting factoids about bats.
John McDonough's narration is absolutely first rate.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Positive Message But....

Revisado: 04-03-18

I so wanted to like this book. On the good side, it has a positive message and is not violent. On the not so good side, the writing seemed maudlin, predictable and trite. As much as it pains me, I would not recommend this book.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Not Up to the Quality of Jan Karon's Other Books

Revisado: 03-29-18

Although the narrator gave an adequate performance, he is no John McDonough, who has been the narrator for most of the series. By comparison to McDonough''s readings (and singing of hymns!), it was frankly a disappointment.
With respect to the book itself, there was considerable repetition of episodes from the earlier books, and there were too many "coincidences" to be even vaguely plausible. It almost felt as if the writing had been rushed. Still the overall message is positive and uplifting, for which I give Ms. Karon credit. It is just not her best effort.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Well written but not my cup of tea

Revisado: 12-16-17

This book was so thoroughly researched and with such impeccable writing, that I truly wanted to like it, but it just felt like a long, long schlog and to my chagrin didn't even go through the time period when Churchill was prime minister.
There are so many wonderful Churchill quotes and details of his difficult childhood, but at the same time innumerable descriptions of battles and war strategy. To those who love history, particularly of the Victorian through World War I era, this book is for you. I learned quite a lot from listening to this book but will not be listening to it again. It just didn't hit the mark for me, which has nothing to do with the quality of the writing and everything to do with my own taste in subject matter.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good story, writing uneven

Revisado: 11-27-17

I liked the concept of this book and think Deborah Harkness is a good story teller, but to me the writing seemed uneven and at times overdone. For example, toward the end of the second book of this three- book series, the plot took a couple sharp right turns, with little explanation or set up for those odd plot turns, and then a rush to the close of book two. It didn't feel so much like a good "gotcha" with a surprising plot twist, but rather it felt as if the author was up against a deadline, and was forced to use her plot outlines that she had not been given the proper time to fill out. (This is purely how the writing seemed to me--I have no factual scoop on her writing or editorial process.)
Although it contains a creative storyline, and the author has clearly done extensive research to weave appropriate contextual details into the plot, the writing too often has the breathlessness of a harlequin romance.

That said, I did enjoy the story, but I wished for so much more for this author, who clearly is talented.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona