Amazon Customer

If Not Deathless Prose, Prose with Staying Power

Revisado: 08-09-17

I first encountered this book as a teenager, have re-read it into adulthood, and am delighted to add the audiobook to my well-worn paperback and e-book. Madselin's journey from willful, self-centered teen to mature, thoughtful woman (still in her teens) is the heart of the book, supported on the mystery of the prisoner in the castle-next-door who may or may not be Stigand, the man she had hoped to marry. He is imprisoned and tortured for the secret of a treasure he may or may not possess. As Madselin strives to deliver him from prison and torture, she also comes to understand and appreciate the character and actions of her mother and her first husband, both killed in the Norman invasion of 1066. The book is full of well-imagined, believable characters, mystery, psychology, and yes, romance--a genre I usually avoid. Madselin, however, is a multi-layered tale of a young woman transforming a capacity for romance into a gritty love that partners, protects, sacrifices, and endures.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Unfinished

Revisado: 08-09-17

Most books I will finish just to see how they turn out, but I could not get interested in the characters, or their plight, or their inane conversation. Decided to cut my losses. Suggest skipping this book altogether, unless you are looking for material to lull you to sleep..

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Waiting to Be Gripped

Revisado: 07-04-16

Ninety minutes in, I have given up on this book. Can't stand the thought of another 9-1/2 hours with the whiny, listless narrative. Thus far this is a tour of the psyches of Rachel (a broken-hearted alcoholic) and "Jess" (an unfulfilled, bored young wife) and, I am guessing, Anna (who hasn't chimed in yet but there are three narrators). If wall-to-wall angst is your thing, have at it. If you are looking for a gripping mystery or thriller, pass this one by.

The characters are not sympathetically drawn: you don't have to feel sorry for them because they are so sorry for themselves it would be superfluous. The two narrators I have heard so far sound so much alike I am at a loss as to why they bothered with a separate narrator for each woman. Although part of me would like to know who is buried under the train tracks, it is a passing curiosity, not compelling enough to slog through the whole book.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good book, Poor Performance

Revisado: 04-30-12

The Sean Drummond books are all intricately and tightly plotted with compelling characters who pull the reader into a world of suspense. The same is true of Man in the Middle, and remembering it as a complex story that I could read and enjoy again, I purchased it as an audiobook.

Alas, I forgot that after checking it out on CD I had ended up returning it to the library and checking out the print version instead. Scott Brick so perfectly embodies the wise-guy persona of Sean Drummond, I could not make the transition to another reader. Add to that Ganser's distracting deep inspirations between sentences, and I gave up on the audio for a second time. If you've never heard Scott Brick, and can ignore the intrusive breathing, then the book itself is a terrific read. Otherwise, buy the print book and imagine Brick's voice as you read.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña