mgn

So many loose end! Such drivel!

Reviewed: 05-25-16

This is a thoroughly frustrating novel. The author tries to be clever by adopting the past/present juxtaposition of past and present and manages to confuse and impede the flow. The heroine is a stupid woman who is totally unsympathetic. The other characters are cardboard. There are many loose ends. I read it because someone had recommended it for our book club. During our discussion, not one person had anything positive to say about. This book is certainly neither entertaining nor educational. A total waste of time and brain cells.

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The first of the series?

Reviewed: 03-13-16

What did you love best about Her Royal Spyness?

I like the light touch of the author. The story is good enough to want to continue listening but not taxing in any way.

What did you like best about this story?

Less gripping than her Christmas novel but ok.

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

I am not sure I like her different voices - the character Belnda sounds utterly annoying. In fact all KK's accents are a bit annoying. Belinda is the worst.

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

No

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Compelling!

Reviewed: 11-09-15

Brought back memories of eventful times which culminated in the transformation of the Western world.
Well written. Balanced. Never a dull passage. Highly recommend.

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Excellent in essence and soon funny!

Reviewed: 10-09-15

I just love CQ's take on diversity of all kinds. He cherishes differences and his observations are both true and hilarious. This is THE funniest (while being profound) book I have heard (read) in years! I have started following CQ on Twitter. I've been recommending the Colouring Book to all. Thank you CQ.

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Her best novel yet

Reviewed: 09-18-15

I have enjoyed this much more than three other liane novels. It's compact and the story gripping in the nicest possible way. Her focus has been on fewer characters which she has developed quickly. Enjoyed it a lot now what do I read?!

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1 person found this helpful

Good story, overly detailed

Reviewed: 09-09-15

I liked learning about Snowden and what led him to do what he did. The section on HKG meetings between Snowden & journalist was interesting, indeed gripping in parts. Regretfully the rest of the book (except for the epilogue) is composed of mind numbing statistics. Here it becomes obvious that the author is more a lawyer than a journalist with his booting & repetitive detail. He repeats statistics to the nth digit. A journalist would get the message across without all the statistics. It's as it he is trying to defend himself in court rather than paint the essence of what Snowden did, why and its impact. A journalist should have written this, not a lawyer. The second half of the book is all mind numbing statistics which best to skip over. One may or may not agree with the content of his epilogue but at least it is a summary of the outcome as he saw it in 2014.

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2 people found this helpful

Good But too long

Reviewed: 08-28-15

I liked the theme but really got bored w the over-long stuff in the middle. Just not necessary. Total of 28 chapters where the first ten and last four are required. Rest absolutely not needed.

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Engaging

Reviewed: 08-18-15

Would you listen to Hello from the Gillespies again? Why?

I recommend it to those who have not yet listened to it. It captured my interest quickly to the extent I looked forward to my daily walks so I could listen to the book. However I don't re-read books .....unless firm favourites from years ago.

What about Ulli Birvé’s performance did you like?

I liked her sound. Good on the ear.

If you could rename Hello from the Gillespies, what would you call it?

I liked the title as it captures where the whole story began, the premiss for the story.

Any additional comments?

I am a fan. The characters are each developed with care, so the listener has a v good picture of the key and subsidiary players.

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2 people found this helpful

Unsophisticated rant

Reviewed: 08-18-15

Would you try another book from Angry Dave and/or David T Curmudgeon?

No

What could Angry Dave have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

The Victor Meldrew character in a popular sitcom in the UK was funny. He was constantly complaining and criticising but it was all witty and thus genuinely funny. This book is not.

Which character – as performed by David T Curmudgeon – was your favorite?

None

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from It's All Bollocks?

Cut out the cursing! It's said that those who are inarticulate use swear words to fill in the gaps in their vocabulary. This book is a good example of that.

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Appalling

Reviewed: 08-18-15

What would have made The Martian better?

A story. A plot. Anything rather than the author's showing off his alleged knowledge of detail. The first half if the book is a series of lectures on growing plants to fictionalised space vehicles.

What could Andy Weir have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Focused on creating a plot, developing characters rather than rely on foul mouthed rants.

How could the performance have been better?

The voice was irritating. Made more so by the narrative created by the author.

What character would you cut from The Martian?

The main character.

Any additional comments?

I wish I had never paid for this. I listened to the first ten chapters during my daily walks hoping the story would begin. I was totally bored and gave up listening. After a week or so I listened to the last two chapters to see if any other characters other than Mr Boring central guy appeared on the scene. They had. The book had the obvious ending as well.

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1 person found this helpful