Peter

Not for true crime readers

Revisado: 07-12-23

I barely could finish this audio book. The author uses an extremely flimsy crime from the 1840s to view the situation of women from a very 21st century point of view by merely studying the works of liberal women writers and activists from the period whose writing survives. We learn very little about the character of the subtitle, due to the fact she was (probably) illiterate. Well, that is convenient, the author just fils in the blanks and there are no sources to back this up. The entire book reads like a masters' thesis, a lot of detailed though selective research: women were victims and men were pigs. When you are interested in true crime, this is not a book for you.

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A disappointment

Revisado: 10-09-14

What would have made The Golem of Hollywood better?

Cutting out the entire historical storyline. If this had been a video I would have fast forward. And this comes from someone who has a good knowledge and interest in Jewish history and culture.

Has The Golem of Hollywood turned you off from other books in this genre?

It has turned me off the collaborations of Jonathan Kellermann. I'm a fan of his work but when he collaborates with another writer (mostly family members) his high standard definitely drops.

What about John Rubinstein’s performance did you like?

John Rubinstein is one of the best readers and I always enjoy his work. He makes you feel you listened to an entire cast of characters. But even Rubinstein could not save this book.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment. I regret I wasted my credit on this book. I always looked forward to a new Kellerman and even pre-ordered but this was a bomb.

Any additional comments?

I finished the book but I was tough as glue. Every time I finally go into the present storyline, there came another chapter with more Biblical history which made me more and more irritable. Next time I will not pre-order but wait until the reviews are out.

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Familiar territory

Revisado: 08-20-12

What did you love best about Gone?

You like or dislike the Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman, most of the story is made of long interviews and research by Alex and Milo, this one in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles acting classes and performance art, a trap for the many hopefuls who come to the city of dreams to make a career. Especially toward the end this book has more action than usual but until then it is interview after interview to reveal the ugly truth. I must admit: I like it very much. Kellerman gives you just as much information as he wants to reveal and keeps you guessing. His dialogue is real and lifelike. No big surprises in this one but I like the series and I never encountered a dud. Even Alex on-off partner Robin is tolerable but I hope Delaware will shag up one day with the female psychologist.

What does John Rubinstein bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

John Rubinstein has become my favorite reader for this series. He does not 'act' the different characters but just uses his considerable skills as a reader. Because the books are set in southern California, we meet characters from many different ethic backgrounds and social classes. Rubinstein reads they perfectly without turning them into caricatures or 'types'. It is like hearing a full staged radio play without any exaggeration.

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Not dull

Revisado: 03-02-12

Where does The Murder Book rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The more books in the Alex Delaware series I listen too, the more I grow to like them. This one has a complex plot with many roots in the past, Alex swims in and out of the story, Milo gets a lot of attention this time, not only professional but also his past and background are more realised as is his private life. But it all makes sense and the storyline kept me interested. Robin Castagna remains an annoying character, thank heavens most of this book she is only on the phone since Alex and she are going through a difficult patch (that is: more difficult than usual). Johan Rubinstein is the perfect reader for this series: his voice has gravity and irony, he finds the right tone for every character and is very constant in his characterisations. He masters all kind of etnic accents without getting into charicature. I really enjoyed this one.

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Good book, great reader

Revisado: 03-30-11

Ross Macdonald is a personal favourite of mine and I am happy his novels are available as audiobooks. Black Money is not one of the greatest Lew Archer novels but it is interesting enough, especially when you are interested in private-eye tales of the Golden Era. Grover Gardner is a perfect reader for this genre, hearing his voice, Lew Archer comes to live right before your eyes. And since these books are full of dialogue, Gardner masters all characters and accents, social classes and etnic accents. I was very pleased with this book and only hope Audible gives access to more of the Ross Macdonald/Lew Archer novels; There are sixteen but only eight are available for members from Europe. A shame!

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas