Susan E. Funk

New narrator spoils the audiobook

Revisado: 11-14-24

I’ve listened to every book in Louise Penny’s Gamache series, and this is my least favorite, because of the narration.

I was hopeful when I heard she had switched to a Quebecois narrator and I looked forward to the authenticity. Unfortunately, the new narrator spoils the experience of listening to the book. The characters mostly sound the same, so it is hard to follow dialogue. Gamache himself is voiced without much caring and sounds nearly as gruff as Ruth. Penny’s writing is deeply focused on character development, yet it’s as if the narrator did not bother to read the earlier books. Readers know and love the regular characters far better than this narrator, even though this book features fewer regular characters than most. And we don’t know the recurring characters better at the end of this audiobook than we did at the beginning.

The plot is reasonable and timely, but Penny’s books are character studies as much as mysteries, and this audiobook ruins the genius of Penny’s otherwise engaging series.

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Not the quality of the first book

Revisado: 06-16-19

The concept and characters are pro
Using, but the book is tedious and complex to the point that I almost quit it. The first book was better.

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Great new lead - a female detective

Revisado: 08-24-17

Connelly's new lead detective character has a distinctive personal story, but in style is Harry Bosch on estrogen--independent, wary of bureaucracy, and committed to solving crimes. Connelly's usual formula of blending two case story lines and salting it with a little bedroom action is both familiar and very successful here. I look forward to more Det. Ballard stories.

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Wanders but concludes well

Revisado: 08-27-15

We listened to this book as a family in a long road trip, having listened similarly to The Social Animal several months ago. The conclusion of this book was powerful, clear and effective. In contrast, our college freshman son described the middle of the book as a flat plain. Brooks provided so many biographical sketches , it was hard to follow the structure of the overarching message. Some readers will get discouraged or list and stop in the middle. Don't--the conclusion is worth your perseverance. The Social Animal was easier to follow, but both are worthy books. My one objection to both books as a woman and mother is that Brooks gives short shrift to parenting as a vocational or life commitment. Many exemplars in this book had children, but none demonstrated the ordinary, daily heroism of balancing vocational calling with maintaining a steady, nurturing home life for their own children. Brooks says more about the parenting received by his exemplars than the parenting they provided. For most people, the role of parent is their highest, holiest function.

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Adventurous tale, needs next book for resolution

Revisado: 07-08-15

Not as good as the first book in the series, but still with the hearing. Also, the ending is disquieting and clearly sets up the next book.

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