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Haunting

Revisado: 06-17-24

Lisa Jewell is an amazing writer. Her stories are so well formed and practically painted with words, she is truly gifted at crafting a character and the scene. Her books always catch me off guard and I usually love her twists and surprises as she plays sleight of hand with the narrative. However, this story just plummets down a spiraling dark hole that you can see coming. I am shocked at so many reviews saying that they were surprised by all the twists and turns. I instead found it depressing and haunting as you know at every decision point what is going to happen and you beg the character to make a different decision, but instead have to listen as they continue full speed to the collision you can see coming. I feel a little emotionally beat up after this story—it is so dark and depressing. Not that I was looking for a happy story, I know that’s not what I get from her books, but I was just looking for some relief of a big twist that never came (except maybe for one at the very end, but that was unreliable and frankly too late). I am really sad that this book that had so much promise and so many places it could have gone instead led to the predictable place to which it was building. It is haunting because Lisa forms her characters so well, but very disappointed in the plot in the second half of the book.
The performance, however, was fantastic! I loved the way they interwove the podcast into the narrative.

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Good story, can’t stand the narration

Revisado: 08-07-23

I love Ruth Ware, and was reminded how much when I read a different author’s book recently and wanted to cry with the lack of character development and details in the narration. I just love how Ruth Ware makes you feel like you are experiencing every scene with her incredible descriptions! I also love the twists—very well done. I only gave the story 4 stars though because, as other reviews mention, this book needed a good editor. Several times, the same descriptive phrase is repeated, sometimes several times, as if Ruth was trying it out in different places but they all made it through to final copy. Very sloppy and not worthy of her writing. It also was too long. It dragged a little at times, which I usually don’t find in her books. Again, a solid editor could have streamlined it.

I’m terms of the performance, I’d give it zero stars if I could. I didn’t have the reverb like other reviews said, so maybe they fixed that, but I absolutely could not stand the narrator’s way of portraying the different characters. Everything was so sing-songy and didn’t match the way the lines should have been delivered at all. I just couldn’t understand why she constantly almost sang the lines, as if from a children’s song. It was very bizarre and super distracting. I don’t think I will ever buy another one from this narrator.

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Remarkable podcast—everyone needs this!

Revisado: 12-31-22

I have been on a journey of faith for about 17 years that has included everything from rediscovering Scripture, learning to pray and talk with God, diving into what it means to be human and who God has revealed Himself to be, and exploring why we are here and what it all means. I have read books, done short online studies, attended Bible studies, listened to podcasts, and completed a graduate degree in Theology. Even with all of that, I have to say this is one of the best resources that has changed and grown my faith. I think the reason we struggle with faith and questions of the meaning of life so much is because we are looking at it from the wrong perspective. Much like one of those ambiguous images where you see nothing but an old woman until you shift your perspective and can see the young woman or can only see a rabbit until you are able to see a duck, Tom Hoopes does a masterful job of helping us flip our perspective and realize our place in history and God’s family. Everyone needs to listen to this podcast—you will never be the same and will truly find a greater peace and relationship with God.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Haunting story

Revisado: 06-13-21

Very intricate and winding story with brilliant changes in point of view. This story will pull you in and not let go. Although you realize early on the basics of where the story is headed, you don’t care and just let it unfurl at its own beautiful pace. The darkness and violence of greed, pride, and self-absorption are on full display, but so are the themes of love, forgiveness, and family. The narrator is quite good with the female voices, but her portrayal of the male characters is distracting and off-putting, thus the 4 stars for performance. Luckily, the female voices are much more front and center.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona