Florence

Terrific.....BUT

Revisado: 04-03-23

After listening to the first book, I really believed that this series was going to be my favourite new binge listen. I love Ruth, have met many Cathbads, and Nelson is the perfectly conflicted man. And Norfolk! A part of the country not overly written about.
The narrator was perfect.
Here is the BUT.... yet another story where the victims include children and animals. And the descriptions of their demise
i really can't stomache that .
Makes me pause before tackling another in the series.

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Excellent narrator. Dull story.

Revisado: 12-11-22

As another reader pointed out, there were so many mistakes about life in Wales, that by half way through, I just couldn't be bothered anymore.
the narrator, on the other hand was excellent. It was only the narration that kept me plugging on. When we got the part where the Welsh cakes were removed from an oven, I was done!! I'm surprised that the narrator didn't choke on her words at that.

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Weir At Her Best

Revisado: 04-25-21

I've long been a fan of Alison Weir's work. I don't always agree with Alison Weir's take on events, but I always admire her research; which is always very very good. She is excellent at citing her sources and influences. In recent years, she has moved from history, to historical novel. In this book, she has triumphed!
I knew a little about both of these Catherine's. but only a very little. I was concerned when other reviews said that the jumping from one story to the other, was confusing. I was never lost or confused. Weir clearly outlined where we were in the narrative.
Maggie Mash (narrator) has overcome her tendency to do "silly voices" and ridiculous accents, which made the last Weir book I listened to , unfortunately unbearable to listen to. Mash does a good job here. Let's hope this is a new trend!
A fascinating pair of stories, cleverly intertwined, and wonderfully read.

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Sturm und Drang Method of Performance

Revisado: 03-01-20

I love Alison Weir's work. I don't always agree with her conclusions, but she is one of the few writers, with whom I can completely disagree, and still enjoy her research, and her writing.
I was so looking forward to listening to this book. The narrator Maggie Mash completely ruined it for me. Reading every quote in a strange pseudo Slavic inflection, With so much Sturm und Drang, that I thought we were preparing for everyone to hurl themselves off a cliff! When all we were doing was opening gifts. At first I thought she was merely trying to indicate that the quoted person must be a foreign emissary, but even ze "UMBLE EEngleesh Peasantry, apparrrrentlllleee SPOKE LIKE zis
Couldn't keep listening. Will get book from library and read it.

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Out with a whimper!

Revisado: 10-21-18

The thing I've always loved about Minette Walters, is that she invariably shocks me on the last page ....and she did it again! Only THIS time, she shocked not with a revelation, but with the fact that the story ends .....abruptly .....just at what seemed to be the arc of the storyline.
There is a part two ...and now I will HAVE to get it, or remain forever in the dark about what happened next.
For me the story cantered along nicely, got into a gallop ....and then threw me over the fence with no resolution. How frustrating!
Great story though. Terrific reading by Helen Keeley.
This book would've received full marks, if only Minette had been kind enough to end the story just a bit later in the tale.

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Out of Date Rehash.

Revisado: 05-24-18

Alright, I'll try to be fair to this man ...maybe the ideas were his first, and others copied, but apart from the how to deal with mail bit, there was absolutely nothing new here.
Some parts of the book were so obviously out of date, especially the computer information , that it was at times amusing.
However, it wasn't ALL bad. The section on how to sort mail was useful. The narration was good. Even if at times we were treated like naughty 14 year olds.

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So Interesting, I listened twice.

Revisado: 04-15-18

I am; I admit; one of those armchair climbers. With neither the ability nor the means to ever climb anything more than a hill, I have been long fascinated by climbers, what motivates them? What leads to success? Why do they do it? After reading many books on Everest, I had been lead to wondering even "should we?"
I had read Into Thin Air more than once, and wanted another view of the story. Anatoli Boukreev, deeply respected climber takes us there in this fascintaing other view of the fateful climb of 1996.
This book is a must read if you've read Into Thin Air. This is a wonderfully written, wonderfully read account. I was so intrigued that I listened twice, to better understand the quietly stated things. Boukreev rarely points fingers, but he does defend the actions of some, including himself, who have been criticised. He does it by explaining conditions, "mountain thinking" and sometimes by shining a light into dark corners.
I concluded by thinking what a wonderful man Anatoli Boukreev must have been. And he even brought me around to an understanding of the oxygen /no oxygen debate.
The narration was great. Narrated well (a couple of slight mistakes ...but I blame the editing for those, they were mis speaks ) . The narrator gets out of the way, and allows the story to open up. One of the best buys in a long while.

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PHOTOS ARE A MUST SEE

Revisado: 01-07-18

Alan Cumming is one of those men we see on the telly, and just adore. I bought this audio hoping against hope that his reading would be good. (It isn't always the case y'know...I have bought books on tape read by authour, only to have my dreams of their ability and charm utterly dashed). His reading was marvellous, and now, more than ever I want to meet this funny, charming man .
I downloaded the PDF to see the photos, and it's important to do that, as otherwise some of the commentary is meaningless.
This is a "should buy the book instead" book. The photos are so intergral to the story ....duh! ...however, I managed fine; and Alan's reading is beyond charming.

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A NOTE TO FELLOW BRITS

Revisado: 01-07-18

I can't tell how good the story is, I simply can't wade through the awful fakey accent.
I've heard that the story is great, from friends who have read the book.
And, it's quite possible that many non -Brits won't notice the accent.
Orlagh Cassidy speaks like an American trying to fake an upper class English accent. Some words just over pronounced, with that "Orefil creck in hir voice" that people trying to posh up an English accent end up with. Plus, many words / placenames mispronounced. I knew that the lady had not been brought up in England as soon as she pronounced "shone" as "shewn" rather than "shon"

It's quite possible that many won't notice, and the book will work for them. They won't know how weald or Sevenoaks should be pronounced; and it won't bother them. Alas, her voice was a hill too high to climb for me, and on the third attempt I gave up on the book.

Orlagh Cassidy is a credible actress, but she did a poor job here. The book got rave reviews, it's a huge pity that audio book folk don't work hard to seek an underworked actual Brit to read this book.

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Read Book One First!

Revisado: 12-29-17

This is a well written medieval mystery, with a wonderfully described sense of place , and character development very well done.
This tale is more of a story rather than a mystery per se (although the motives behind the story are a mystery) .
It's important to have read book one first ...the Book Seller's Tale; otherwise you will spend far too much time trying to work out who's who.
And it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so now I simply must listen to book Three, which won't be a hardness. Well narrated. Great listen

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