debbie

Good writing, poor understanding

Revisado: 05-04-24

Well written, well researched, but the author clearly doesn't understand narcissism or pathological lying.

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Totally unconvincing

Revisado: 04-25-24

I'm giving 2 stars because Herhold occasionally admits his own story is a stretch and requires imaginative links. He ridicules Maury Terry as a conspiracy theorist (as proof, his only offer is that Terry appeared on a Geraldo Rivera program) and then himself engages in MUCH thinner speculation than Terry's exhaustive tome. His theory of Steve Crawford as the killer of Arlis Perry is wholly unconvincing.

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Teenage romance novel drivel

Revisado: 07-19-23

If you like predictable archetypal teenage romance novels, then this is definitely the book for you. If however, you are an adult, skip it. The only reason I made it to chapter 5 was because I was doing something I couldn't neglect, while I cringed at my poor choice in books this time.

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Uhhhhh......

Revisado: 05-02-23

I wanted to "read" this version of this book after hearing an old interview with Anthony Burgess whining that the American very (and the film) deleted his ending chapter, which was about how people do actually change, and that he spent years defending his book by explaining that the final "redemption" chapter had been left out, and how publishers ruined it by doing so.
Ok, so the prologue goes into that in depth (plus Burgess tittering about the fun of experiencing bad behavior vicariously through the characters he made up. Ummmm...😣) Then when this mystery deleted final chapter finally finished, I found myself thinking he should've been glad it was left out. It's stupid and decidedly NOT "redemptive". It's basically a dismissal of rape, child molestation, murder, auto theft, the " ultra violence" as, you know, boys will be boys, and poor little Alex just......grows out of it. Seriously? 😒
The book is of course a classic, but the "missing ending" is disappointing garbage.

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Manufactured "feud" with shallow gossip

Revisado: 11-08-22

The narrator did a great job. Otherwise this is National Enquire junk. The author admits trying to instigate a feud, which is clearly manufactured. While there are a few interesting sections about the actresses, this is mostly pulp junk.

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Wow!

Revisado: 08-26-22

A lot of stuff I knew, a lot I didn't, but presented in a logical cohesion/macro picture I hadn't thought of. Truly an important book. For those who have never heard of even basic things like the petrodollar, Bretton Woods, or fiat currency, it's easy to believe things will "return to normal". They won't. They can't. I knew that in 2020. But as bleak as this outcome is, there's a sense of.... relief? to see a map of what is happening, instead of just the OMG! WTF is going on?! Good book, no GREAT book, that I have recommended to many others.

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Pretty awful

Revisado: 05-31-22

Where to even start? Every chapter ends with each narrator being cut off mid word. And why are there 4 narrators, rehashing the same stories over and over? The same narrator tells the same story about Prometheus repeatedly. The first narrator read as fast as he could in a monotone. The 2nd narrator sounded extremely bored. The 3rd and 4th narrators were overly dramatic. The 3rd one said this "there is an island called Greece. The people who live there are called Greeks. And Greeks continue to live there even to this day!" Uh, no kidding . Each narrator clearly had trouble with pronunciation of words and names we've all heard many times. With so many great Greek and Roman mythology stories, why have each narrator tell the story of Prometheus over and over and over --not different stories or versions, just different words (and pronunciations)? Do yourself a favor --but the Odyssey and Iliad instead.

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Overall good, but.....

Revisado: 01-25-22

I understand the importance of humanizing the victim(s). But there's definitely a such thing as too many details. This is a really convoluted and complicated story (as BPD tales always are, whether they kill somebody or not). So adding lengthy details about the lives of the parents, grandparents, and great grandparents of literally everyone even peripherally related to the story just makes it hard to keep track of what's going on. Same with detailing the historical founding of every small town each of the participants lives in and were born in.
Otherwise, interesting story, and I'm glad authors are starting to understand that personality disordered people are not going to EVER admit guilt or responsibility for their horrendous actions no matter how small or large. As the author points out, this woman denied committing crimes that there was video evidence of.

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Typical Koontz

Revisado: 09-25-21

Like so many of Koont's books, the story idea is absolutely great....But executed in a mediocre way. The characters are poorly developed, just caricatures of all good or all bad. They are emotionally immature and stunted---for example, every good guy character feels guilty for "dragging" their wooden sidekick into the storyline, though the fawning sidekick clearly forced their way in, usually without even knowing the hero (just like us readers). This guilt is supposed to show us that the hero is empathetic and compassionate as they endanger the lives of others, though it actually makes them appear hopelessly codependent.
Nonetheless, there are moments of wonderful description and the story ideas are always compelling and intriguing.

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This is very abridged

Revisado: 09-13-21

I've read this book a few times over the years, flabbergasted at Downs complete lack of self awareness and arrogant beliefs in her ability to lie or seduce her way out of ANYTHING. But I was really disappointed at how butchered this audio book is, as well as a very wooden reading.

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