Ela B.

Worth the listen but meandering...

Revisado: 02-26-24

I love Tana French's writing and I love stand-alone books. This one started our promising but started to meander and develop pacing problems early on to the point where I asked myself all to frequently: "Where is this all going?" I also like unreliable narrators and even unlikable protagonists, but I found Toby not complicated, but confusing. You have to play fair with the reader. Excellent narration kept me going to the end.

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Not the strongest in the series

Revisado: 02-12-24

I'm a fan of Tana French's writing and have listened on Audible to all but one of her novels. Her work transcends the formulaic mystery genre and has a literary bent. This novel, though, felt labored and in need of a good edit. The plot felt convoluted rather than complex with a cast of two many characters. Having said that, Tana French is skilled at evoking a sense of place. She is also skilled at drawing characters and what I love about her books is her ability to embody different characters, and here, impressively, school children. If this is your first Tana French experience, I would start with her first book Into the Woods. My favorite was Broken Harbor. I didn't read them in order until later, but it would be all the more rewarding if you did.

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A sum of its parts: a powerful family story that will stay with you long after listening.

Revisado: 01-30-24

I listened to this story (I just dove in) because I was interested in the premise (the mysterious postcard...)

I found the story started off slow and was concerned the postcard was being used as a conceit, but then the book came into its own about a quarter way through. I couldn't stop listening after that, and realized the importance of the earlier chapters in developing characters we come to care about.

As other reviewers have mentioned, there are historical facts that both surprise and disturb, especially the role of Vichy France...

But mostly, I loved the story and the telling of that story. A family facing the unimaginable, and future generations of family trying to make sense of it all. It is a story about identity, loss, memory, and love - told with love.

As for the narrator, I thought she did a fabulous job and sounded the right age for the narrator in the book. It was always clear to me which character was speaking.

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Rewarding! Don't give up on smug-sounding narrator in sample

Revisado: 01-20-24

This story, for me, is the most emotionally complex of the series, darker, and the most rewarding. Like other reviewers have mentioned, if the narrator sounds smug at the beginning of the novel (or in the sample), keep listening and you will be rewarded. Well-drawn characters and a tight, twisty plot, this one will leVe you guessing, but be forewarned: some of the themes and scenes may disturb. However, Tana French intuitively knows where to stop. A real page-turner (you won't be able to stop listening!) but If you are expecting a fast-paced, top-line formulaic whodunit, this isn't it. Tana French's novels have a literary bent and her accolades are well-deserved. Try to read the series in order but it doesn't matter if you don't. I didn't and didn't feel confused or short-changed.

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If you like Donna Tartt's The Secret History...

Revisado: 01-05-24

So far, I've read four of Tana French's novels. A smart writer with beautiful turns of phrases and her writing has a literary bent. If you just want a top-line, formulaic 'whodunnit' this is not author, or book, for you. If you haven't read her work yet, I would start with her first novel, "In the Woods."

"The Likeness" had shades of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" and you can tell that Tana French feels close to her characters in this novel. She also takes her time wrapping up the story (no spoilers) and as reader, I was thankful for the no-rush ending. Sure, you have to suspend belief with the overall premise, and sure, tighter editing could have improved dynamic flow in places, but overall a satisfying listen. I feel this story will stay with me more than some of her other novels.

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Excellent in every way, from story to narration!

Revisado: 04-08-23

Gorgeous, restrained writing with a literary bent, and for me, up there with Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca with shades of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. But, I thought this novel more complex taking on wider themes. Here, the milieu of England transitioning into modern society after WWII. It received Hilary Mantel's high praise in her review in The Guardian. Narrator, Simon Vance, is a perfect choice.

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Great story and narration!

Revisado: 03-12-23

I chose this read/listen because I read somewhere that Donna Tartt recommended this book and I am a fan of The Secret History. They are complimentary and it also reminded me of another great listen and narration, Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. Three beautifully written and skilfully plotted novels.

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Brilliant narration. This novel will reel you in.

Revisado: 01-23-23

A slow start, that for me, took a good few hours to hook me. If you only have McEwan's Atonement to go by, it may disappoint, but readers of Black Dogs will recognize the tone, and even events, that seem lifted (almost) entirely. Arguably self indulgent but the quality of writing make it easy to forgive. Heart stopping moments and aching insights will draw you in. Have patience. The time transitions in the first chapter may frustrate but the time periods settle. This novel is a journey, and like all journeys, will have ups and downs and periods of excitement followed by stretches of boredom. All in all, a rewarding listen brilliantly narrated.

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Ignore the narration sample - the narration works!

Revisado: 01-09-23

I read The Secret History when it was first published and loved it. I wanted to revisit the novel and opted for the Audible version. I'd listened to The Goldfinch on Audible read by the talented David Pittu. It took me a long time to decide to download The Secret History because when I heard Donna Tartt read in the sample, I didn't think I could listen to 22 hours of same. But, I am so glad I took a chance because the sample is not enough to give you a balanced view of her narration. After a few chapters (and give it a few chapters) her voice settles, and her narration grows on you, so much so, that as the book progresses, you come to appreciate her narration. She does the individual character voices really well (she never mixes them up and in turn you are never confused as to who is speaking), and she has a drollness, and dryness, that works well for the characters, and the milieu she writes about.

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Intelligent and well crafted.Worrh the listen

Revisado: 11-12-22

A well-written mystery that unfolds, paralleling past and present with an intelligently laid out plotline. My one gripe, was the female narrator, who had the strangest cadence (nothing to do with accent) that grated after a while. Still, worth the listen.

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