Minny

Thoroughly entertaining!

Revisado: 08-31-20

Young August March grows up in an unorthodox manner--not raised by anyone in particular, yet seemingly by many people--and his adult life continues on that same path. In five parts, spanning his first thirty or so years, this book tells the story of August's life. The book is interesting, well-written, and quite funny. The storyline is solid and the many instances of things coming full-circle was satisfying. If you like an old-timey-New-York type story and you have any interest in theater or theatrics, or colorful characters, I think you'd like this book.

If narrator Joel Froomkin has a "wheelhouse", I would imagine this book lies firmly within it. From the opening line he is fully immersed and in character, and he does not falter throughout. He delivers Aaron Jackson's story with deft comedic timing and a pleasant variety of characters and voices. I'd guess he had fun creating it in audio.
Recommend...not for kids :)

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Interesting tale, great performance

Revisado: 04-07-19

12 y/o Charlie, a diplomat's son living in France in the 1960s, becomes involved with a surreptitious gang of pickpockets. Previously shy and relatively friendless, he begins to find himself and gain confidence as he and his friends deceive throngs of clueless, wealthy "marks".

Replete with terrific vocabulary words and plenty of pickpocketing jargon, the book is well-written and keeps readers/listeners engaged throughout. The antics of Charlie and the other kids border on unbelievable at times--the things they get away with!--but still a story you want to keep listening to.

The narration has, at times, an enjoyable "A Christmas Story-esque" sound to it, and narrator Bronson Pinchot navigates through every accent and dialect known to man, while deftly and seamlessly telling the story. Bravo! Recommend.

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Cute fairytale, excellent performance

Revisado: 04-07-19

This is an adorable musical/fairy tale. Predictable for an adult, very appropriate for kids. Needless to say, with an all-star cast like this, the performance was flawless. There were lots of sound effects that enhanced the performance and made me laugh. Listened to it in one sitting. Normally, I'm not much of a fan of musicals, but the storyline carried me through some of the repetitious musical themes. Recommend!

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Kept me laughing and kept me guessing

Revisado: 07-22-17

Any additional comments?

I want to call this a 'unique business mystery laced with comedy' but it was more like a 'unique comedy laced with a business mystery.' I started off laughing at the musings and comedic inner monologue of protagonist Bob Patterson and continued chuckling throughout.

Content to be bumbling his way through life as a result of his having married up, Bob delivers a narrative that is wrought with hilarious sports references and general wry, smug-guy commentary. He made a lot of choices in the novel that I didn't want him to, but I can appreciate an author who unravels a plot that keeps me guessing and sometimes disgusts me! The narrator, Johnny Heller, was probably the perfect guy for the job as his characters, delivery, and comedic timing seemed to fit the main character's personality perfectly. RECOMMEND.

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Amazing author and amazing narrator!

Revisado: 07-04-17

Which character – as performed by Will Patton – was your favorite?

Duh, Monarch Little. Although he does a great job with Coco Aber, too. All around, Will Patton is just an extremely gifted narrator.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I just love JLB's writing style. Ex. In a flashback, Dave decided after a brief stint at sobriety to head to the bar for a drink. So he got himself all dressed up and (I paraphrase) "pretended that I could throw lighted matches into a gas can without consequence." I love the way I can enjoy the image that creates and at the same time be following a great storyline. Thank you to JLB for being such an amazing writer.

Any additional comments?

This is a good Dave Robicheaux novel. I was very engaged by the storyline throughout. The characters were memorable, but not as strong as in some of his other books. The ending came on quickly once I got to the end of the book and as I sometimes have to do at the end of a Dave novel, I had to sit and think about all the loose ends and make sure I understand how they all tied up, how everything was connected, who was responsible for what, etc. I actually listened to this audio twice, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time. Decent book, but Swan Peak is still my favorite.

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Waaaaay different than I thought it would be...

Revisado: 06-27-17

Main character, Monique, is a NY writer who is given the amazing opportunity to write an authorized biography of iconic Hollywood starlet, Evelyn Hugo. She meets with the actress in her upper east side apartment daily, recounting the heartbreaks and triumphs of the woman's 50-year film career. During this process, Monique learns from her, is inspired by her, and is completely engaged in the woman's story, yet she does this without idolizing her in any way. I suppose the author is successful in accomplishing this same detachment in the reader as well. I liked Evelyn's character, and sometimes I wanted her to achieve everything, but sometimes I wanted her to crash and burn, too. This mix of emotions made for a fun ride for me as a reader.

This book has all the glamour of old Hollywood and studio politics, beautiful women, Oscar nominations, and doing what it takes to further (and protect) one's career. I was fully misled by the title (the point, I'm sure). There were some parts of the plot which were deeply relatable to me, and other parts which I just didn't connect with at all. Despite that, I remained engaged and interested in the story itself, a huge feat by the author.

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A blend of reality and fantasy.

Revisado: 06-14-17

Any additional comments?

This was an interesting story. Early on, it was very realistic and believable. The plot soon shifts into a magical, other world realm that requires some imagination and whimsy from the reader/listener. The decades old feud between the O'Donnells and the Angerts is established early, but not in detail.

When Saul and Junior meet for the first time, I knew enough about it to get a star-crossed-love kind of feel. Realistic, believable. As the story unfolds, the action becomes more mystical and magical. Whites that whisk the main characters away to experience memories from the past. Coy wolves that steal shoes. The character, Nameless, who is reminiscent of a Reaper. There were times where I had to pause and regroup, just checking to make sure I had the story straight. I could see where the ending was headed, but the author handled the character development, plot, climax, and conclusion skillfully, giving me a satisfying ending, but not without the requisite suspense.

My favorite character was June's best friend, Hannah, who was a witty and devoted, and the epitome of a teenage girl. She was expertly portrayed by the narrator, Julia Whelan, who had great pacing and character distinction throughout. (And a believable (to my American ears) French accent for June's mom.) This was my first listen to one of her narrations, though probably not my last.

Overall, this book is not like other novels I have read. I don't usually dive into magical stories, but this one did not disappoint. In fact, it made a rather long car ride quite bearable. I'm not a YA, but it is perfect for both teen listeners and adults who like YA books. Recommend.

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I didn't see any of THAT coming!

Revisado: 02-15-16

Where does The Signature of All Things rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Juliet Stevenson gave a very strong performance. Her characters and their emotions were very believable. This makes this book stand out from others because it was over 20 hours long, and she was very consistent the whole time. It took me a couple weeks to finish the book, but worth the credit.
In addition, the writing was very thorough and well thought out. There was so much science and so many facts in this book, that it seemed to me at many points that a great deal of research must have gone into the writing of this novel. This is very impressive to me, and when paired with an ability to eloquently phrase human thoughts and emotions, a writer demonstrates exceptional skill.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I was quite in tune with Alma's emotions throughout the book, wanting what she wanted until the author had her (and me) realize that might not be for the best. There was one part, about three-quarters of the way through, when I became overwhelmingly saddened at the tragedy of things. I wasn't sure what direction the story was going, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue in case it got any more melancholy. I did finish; it was a true saga of one woman's life.

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Surprised I liked it so much!

Revisado: 01-26-16

Would you consider the audio edition of The Boston Girl: A Novel to be better than the print version?

I'm sure it was more enjoyable to me because Linda Lavin was my storyteller. I didn't have to work as hard to create 'Addy' on my own.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Boston Girl: A Novel?

I loved how the author called one of Addy's first suitors a "wolf". She is warned by her friend to stay away, but Addy has to learn the lesson for herself (because he's hot!), something I'm sure many many women can relate to. I thought it was so romantic when she finally met her husband, and it was devastating when the flu hit.

What about Linda Lavin’s performance did you like?

She was just right on point. She didn't over-do it, nor did she under-do it. I thought her portrayal of Addy was very believable and at times, I could really feel the hurt/joy/insecurity, etc. of her character, as it should be.

Any additional comments?

This isn't really a typical story, with a buildup and a climax, but more of a memoir. I listened to this book without reading anything about it first (for book club), so I didn't know what to expect at all. It was very sentimental in many parts--joyful, painful--if you have your period, you'll probably cry your eyes out at times. But overall, I got very drawn into the characters and the events that defined their lives.

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Very enjoyable listen; good story, good narrator

Revisado: 01-24-16

Would you listen to The Second Tree again? Why?

Maybe before I listen to book two, to refresh my memory since the next book in the series isn't out yet.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, because of its is-it-real?-or-is-it-sci-fi?-ness. I wanted to believe the plot and how amazing the discovery of this fruit was, then some of the healing qualities would just seem too amazing to be true. But, that's what makes the Neoka so amazing. The long description of the history of the fruit's discovery in the middle of the book delayed the action just a little bit. But it was necessary information, so I didn't mind. By the end, I couldn't decide if this plot could actually happen, or if I was using my imagination a little bit.

Which scene was your favorite?

Even though I hated it, when one of the main characters has a big change in character. I didn't see it coming, but it really made the story that much more terrifying.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, because the author would make me want one outcome, then make me realize that outcome wouldn't be the best. I was torn by the greed vs. morality and there were many suspenseful scenes.

Any additional comments?

Overall, this book is a good find and a terrific listen. The narration is clear, professional, and enjoyable. I received this book as a gift, thus, I am leaving an honest review.

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