Never At A Loss For Words

My Favorite

Revisado: 11-25-24

I know all the Pitt mysteries nearly by heart, and I have to say, this is my favorite. Ms. Perry allows herself to express her faith without ambiguity, and it's beautiful, especially in the characters of Lord and Lady Narraway. She strikes the perfect balance between Narraway's pragmatism and Vespasia"s heart, with strong doses of the opposite in each. This one is short, but it's a masterpiece.

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A true delight ... mostly.

Revisado: 12-15-23

This production is full of positives and negatives, thus making it really hard to rate. First, the positives: the incomparable Emma Thompson. "Emma" was great; "Northanger Abbey" truly inspired. Second: Billy Piper. Her take on "Mansfield Park" was spot on. These two ladies did so well, one was left disappointed in the wooden performances of some of the otherwise stellar actresses.

The negatives: the adaptations, especially "Pride and Prejudice." A good adaptation for dramatization is a covert type of thing. One forgets what is added in or taken out and just enjoys the story. However, several of these selections felt heavy-handed and intrusive; like the author thought she could improve on Austen. Writers have been trying for almost 200 years. Noone has been successful yet.

Still, this dramatization is great for adding in dialog where it feels right, while still allowing Austen's own genius to shine through ..... mostly. And Ms. Thompson? Always a delight.

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Jane Austen with a Yankee accent?

Revisado: 12-15-23

There are readers, and there are storytellers. These ladies are readers. Perhaps I judge harshly, or perhaps the competition is just too stiff. After listening to Emma Thompson narrate "Emma," listening to this was just painful. And her narration of "Northanger Abbey?" One can truly hear Austen's voice. Billy Piper narrating "Mansfield Park": a true pleasure. However, this selection sounds like an 6th-grade language arts class.... Okay. I hate to be snarky ... like 11th grade English lit. But kudos to the ladies on this selection for putting themselves out there. Maybe they should study those other great storytellers and pick up some of their tricks ... like immersing themselves into the story completely. Then, maybe their US accents wouldn't be so jarring.

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A great read ... and reread!

Revisado: 10-13-23

I've listened to Anne Perry's entire Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series multiple times, and Silence in Hanover Close is one of my favorites. Ms. Perry's characters come alive, and the harrowing circumstances and foolish decisions they make keep the pages turning while remaining true to each individual personality.

Likewise, Davina Porter's narration is spot-on. With her broad acting and vocal range, the story comes alive in my head. She has the art of narrative perfected. Between author and actor, this work is one I return to again and again.

On a side note, Ms. Perry plays it fast and loose with continuity from one installment to the next. That's why I knocked off one star for the story.

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Not a clean book

Revisado: 10-03-23

I strongly feel that it's possible to write captivating stories without resorting to erotica. Unfortunately, this author seems to use sex as a crutch. References to it proliferate in this book. I stopped listening when the sex scenes became too graphic. Too bad. The plot seemed like it had promise.

I didn't really care for the narrator. He sounded like a wine commercial.

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Don't miss this Alan Rickman performance

Revisado: 11-12-22

consider this book your own private Alan Rickman performance of a legendary piece of literature.

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A painful experience for this Austenophile. 💔 😪

Revisado: 10-27-22

I hate to give bad reviews based on only a token attempt to experience a work. So, I forced myself to listen to this in its entirety; something I will never be coerced into again.

The reading is stiff and stilted, with little attempt to embrace the characters or act the part. the participants don't even seem to try story- telling. The parts are terribly miscast, with Lady Susan sounding more akin to Lady Catherine DeBurgh, rather than Mary Crawford. They gave the irresistible seductress the voice of A 70- year- old woman. Reginald DeCourcy is equally miscast.

I could go on and on, but I won't. Bottom line: after listening to many adaptations and readings of Miss Austin's work on Audible, I had great expectations of this little treat. Unfortunately, I bit into what I thought was a truffle, but got a moth ball instead. Blech! Time to pull out the mouth wash.

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