Here-and-faraway

A TRUE DELIGHT

Revisado: 11-28-22

If you are a fan of the anime, then you will LOVE this book. I am so, so, so grateful that Lisa Ortiz revisits her role as Lina Inverse and narrated this book. It is such a treat to hear her. She knocks it out of the park with her performance. The book is a mix of comedy, fantasy, and adventure. It's definitely accessible to listeners who've never seen the anime.

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My Favorite Audiobook of the Year

Revisado: 07-28-15

If you could sum up The Bone Clocks in three words, what would they be?

Poignant, thrilling, amazing

What other book might you compare The Bone Clocks to and why?

I've never read anything quite like it before. To quote the amazon review... "The story is a saga that spans decades, characters, genres, and events". It's an incredibly ambitious work, but Mitchell pulls it off. The closest I could come to a comparison would be a Murakami novel, not because their style is similar, but because they are both so unique.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't want to spoil anything, but the world in the final section of the book really grabbed a hold of me. I did not want to stop reading.

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

How Mitchell wrapped the story up. It brought tears to my eyes because it was so powerful and made the story complete.

Any additional comments?

A side character in one section of the novel may be the main character in another section. Also, insignificant events in one story have a large significance in another. That said, don't worry about trying to keep track of all the characters and events. Mitchell does a good job "reviewing" who and what they are.

Characters from Mitchell's other works appear in this novel. You absolutely don't have to read his other works to follow The Bone Clocks - it's a stand alone story, but if you are a fan, you may recognize some cross-over characters from Black Swan Green, Atlas Shrugged, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, Ghostwriter, and number9dream.

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We're All Mad Here...

Revisado: 07-27-15

Where does Rustication rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I've been an audible member for a loooong time, so it would be hard for me to rank this novel. I can say that the book was well worth the credit.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Richard, the narrator. Charles Palliser did such a great job creating him. Richard is a self-absorbed, "girl crazy" seventeen year old who thinks of himself as the hero of the story. He has no idea how naive he is to both the reader and others around him. It was a lot of fun getting inside Richard's twisted, naive, and narcissistic mind.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

I've enjoyed other books narrated by John Lee, but I was initially surprised when I realized he was going to be "playing" a seventeen year old. Lee is a great actor, but he doesn't sound seventeen. That said, he did a fabulous job. His performance was lovely.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. Although I was able to guess who the killer was about half way through the novel, I still wanted to listen because it was so much fun. What I enjoyed about the book was Lee's performance and all of the twisted characters.

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Entertaining

Revisado: 07-01-15

What did you love best about The Anchoress?

It held my interest and was easy to listen to. It helped make the time fly by when I was reorganizing and cleaning my kitchen.

What other book might you compare The Anchoress to and why?

It reminded me a bit of Pillars of the Earth and The Chalice because some of the conflicts and character types were the same.

What about Mary Jane Wells and Steve West ’s performance did you like?

They were both engaging.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I finished it in two days, which is a good sign.

Any additional comments?

I thought this book would show Sarah's entire life as an anchoress. Instead the story roughly spans a year. Many things happen in the town that Sarah lives in during that year so while some of the story focuses on Sarah adapting to her new life, a good deal of it also focuses on what is going on in the village.

The story ends in a decent spot, but I couldn't help but wonder if it will have a sequel. Some of the story lines felt unfinished. Then again, it could be the author's way of showing that "life goes on" and "the story never ends".

I enjoyed listening to this book. It didn't move me, but it did entertain me. The characters were likable and Sarah's life is definitely unique. Even though Sarah stays in one place for the story, the book doesn't grow stale.

I would like to read more by the author.

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How Time Flies When You Have a Good Audiobook

Revisado: 06-27-15

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. This was a great book to listen to while I re-organized my kitchen cupboards. It's under ten hours and made the time fly by.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Haunting of Maddy Clare?

When the narrator is first haunted by Maddy. Fantastic writing!

Have you listened to any of Pamela Garelick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. I agree that Pamela's voice is a bit deep for a twenty year old, but it didn't bother me one bit. She's very talented and I enjoyed listening to her performance. I would gladly listen to her again.

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

The book didn't move me, but it certainly entertained.

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Good, Not Great

Revisado: 02-22-15

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Not as an introduction to Neil Gaiman. The book is not bad, but it's very predictable. You know right away who the "secret" villain is and how the story will more or less end. Also, the two heroes, Richard and Door, were dull and generic. The book does have Gaiman's dry humor and some lovely descriptions. It flows well and Gaimain gives a great performance. Neverwhere is not terrible, but it's not great either. Gaiman has much better work out there.

Would you recommend Neverwhere to your friends? Why or why not?

Only if they were a fan of his work. It's decent enough, but didn't keep me on the edge of my seat wanting more.

Have you listened to any of Neil Gaiman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Gaiman gives a fabulous performance. He always does a fantastic job reading his stories.

Did Neverwhere inspire you to do anything?

Nope.

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Strong Start, Weak Ending

Revisado: 05-07-14

Would you listen to The House at Tyneford again? Why?

Maybe. The writer does some impressive things with how characters capture memories onto paper. That said, I was very disappointed with the ending.

Would you be willing to try another book from Natasha Solomons? Why or why not?

Only if it got really strong reviews. While I think she's a very good storyteller, I was disappointed with the book.

Which scene was your favorite?

I love how the narrator muses on memories.

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

I was displeased with the ending. It was well written, but I wish the writer would have chosen to go another route. I think the fact that she foreshadowed what would happen so strongly throughout the novel hurt the book. I kept waiting for a surprise twist at the end and there wasn't one. You can pretty much tell what will happen to the characters within the first half hour of the novel.

Any additional comments?

For as much as I disliked the ending, the book did hold my attention and I hated to put it down. The pace of the novel is slow and lyrical, but also mesmerizing. The author is talented. I simply wish that she either would have not given the ending away so early in the book or surprised me. I finished the novel wondering what the point of it all was. Once again, it was entertaining, but the last half hour was painful.

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Offers Insight

Revisado: 07-06-13

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

It depends on the friend. This book is NOT for everyone. It graphically describes the life of a promiscuous gay man. So if the topic of homosexuality or detailed sex scenes disturb you, then steer clear. Also, black people are almost like fetish objects in this novel. Many of the upper-crust, white British men in the novel are VERY attracted to Africans. Although the wealthy men are genuinely sickened by hate crimes, they also don't quite see black people as "human" either. It's like people from Africa are viewed as some sort of enchanted, mythological creatures to be sought after and adored. I don't want to give the impression that the book centers on race relations, but some of the ways that black people are described made me feel uncomfortable. I think that Hollinghurst purposely did this to further explore the idea of what it's like to be viewed as an "other" in mainstream society.

I would recommend this book to a friend who loves beautiful writing and strong characterization. I would recommend it to a friend who enjoys thinking about things that they've never considered before. Before this novel, I never thought about how so much "homosexual history" was covered up, changed, or never recorded to begin with. Just like in Hollinghurst's The Stranger's Child, the idea of what is forgotten and what is chosen to be remembered hangs heavily.

What did you like best about this story?

How it let me see the world through a new set of eyes.

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

He is a fantastic narrator. All of his characters sound unique and he does a fantastic job with different dialects and accents. Perfect pacing, smooth voice, lovely narration, perfect execution of wit... I would love to hear another story read by him.

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

Yes, but I don't want to spoil things for you... There's a part that will stick with me for a long time.

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Thoughtful, Intelligent, A Window to Another Time

Revisado: 04-18-13

If you could sum up The Teahouse Fire in three words, what would they be?

Very very good

What other book might you compare The Teahouse Fire to and why?

The Last Nude, another book by Ellis Avery. Like The Last Nude, Avery abandons her narrator in a strange land and lets the narrator see her new world through foreign eyes. What I really enjoy about both works is the strong sense of time and place AND the complex characters. No one is entirely good or entirely evil. Instead, Avery creates a world with flawed, but not unsympathetic people.

Which character – as performed by Barbara Caruso – was your favorite?

Yukako. That said, Caruso is one of those gifted narrators who makes each character have a distinct voice. I knew who was speaking without being told.

If you could rename The Teahouse Fire, what would you call it?

Nothing. The title fits the book perfectly.

Any additional comments?

Although not perfect, this is a very, very good story about an extremely interesting time in Japanese history - when the west invaded Japan. I've read and seen many stories about this time written by Japanese authors through a Japanese character's eyes. It was an interesting twist to see this moment in history described through a foreigner's eyes. Like other reviewers have pointed out, the narrator is a bit frustrating because she does little. Rather, she observes and analyzes what others do around her. Also, the story does droop in places. That said, the narrator makes very astute observations and the people she is around are very interesting. Whenever the story started to sag, it quickly reeled me back in. Aside from the strong sense of time and place, I really appreciate how well Avery (the author) understands human nature. Nothing in the story is cliche. Her characters are living, breathing, flawed individuals who do, not do what is expected of them, but rather what they want to do. Because of that, the story has some very surprising twists. The narrator did not end up where I expected her to be.Although the book felt VERY complete, I like how unanswered fragments are left behind, which is very much like real life.

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I Hated For It To End

Revisado: 01-19-13

What did you love best about The Stranger's Child?

I loved both its characters and the way the writer explores how and what is remembered.

What other book might you compare The Stranger's Child to and why?

I could loosely compare it to A.S. Byatt's Possession or Tennysons' "In Memoriam" (where the story got its title from.) Like Possession, we see biographers trying to unravel the mystery of what a famous poet was really like and who he was romantically involved with. Unlike Possession, the story isn't centered on "who dun' it" (although there are some surprising twists at the end), but rather who is remembered, how they are remembered, and who is forgotten. It's very poignant to see who and what is lost.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending left me with chills. I also listened to the first part of the story over and over again because it is so well crafted.

If you could take any character from The Stranger's Child out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I adored Daphne, but would probably take Cecil out to dinner just to see what kind of mischief he would get himself into.

Any additional comments?

This is a beautifully written book. The author really knows his craft. The pace is set on slow burn. The book isn't about exposing one shocking revelation after another, but rather about how things are revealed and chosen to be remembered. You know that feeling when you finish a story and wish there was more? When you can't start anything else because what you just read was so good? When the story's over, but it still hangs like a veil over your daily life? That's where I am right now, after completing The Stranger's Child. It's definitely something I will listen to again.

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