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Best audiobook I ever bought

Reviewed: 01-30-19

Jane Austen people! Enough said about the quality of the writing! Regarding the performance, at first I was a little annoyed by the delivery but soon grew to love it. Now I just listen to it over and over again.

I DO wish audible would figure out a way to add a sequence number to the book icons so that I know which one is next. If you don't know, the book icons for all 6 or 7 parts of this audiobook are all the same which makes it impossible to know, for a certainty, which part to listen to next.

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Some of my all time favorites

Reviewed: 05-18-18

I'm a long time fan of Holmes, and of Stephen Fry too. This audiobook was a match made in heaven. However, I just have to qualify that a bit because I think Fry was a little too dramatic in his reading at times. I was also under the impression for some reason that this contained all 4 novels and all 56 short stories, which isn't true. Several of the short stories are missing and I'd kinda like to cry over that. Hopefully they will make an addenda with the missing ones. I'll listen to this over and over again and, really, it was a bargain considering how much is covered here.

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Wanted to really love this

Reviewed: 03-13-18

Would you try another book from Ben Aaronovitch and/or Kobna Holdbrook-Smith?

I'm a total freak for London so I was practically drooling to start this book. BTW, the cover art is misleading so don't judge this book by its.... Anyway, I enjoyed most of this book except for the bizarre monster side of it, and because in a few places it seemed to go offtrack. I think it would have been a better book without all of the metaphysical nonsense.

*spoiler alert*
One example of going offtrack is the whole scene in the theatre, followed by a flood. I won't say any more about that. It also annoyed me that someone had to travel back in time and it was achieved by *spoiler alert* getting bit, on purpose, by a vampire. Really!?! That just seemed stupid. And then the vampire seems to turn into a spider. No no no! Just no!
*end of spoiler alert*

Some people mentioned having a hard time with the slang. I understood it all but I'm really into British programming and books. So if you're not you might want to have google translate for you. This book does provide a great sense of place (London) that I really loved. Also sprinkled throughout were great lessons for those who want to learn more about London and its history. So, all in all, I might try another by this author - despite the monster bs.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Wrapped things up neatly.

Which scene was your favorite?

Probably the beginning, in Covent Garden.

Did Midnight Riot inspire you to do anything?

No

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Good stuff

Reviewed: 03-13-18

What did you love best about The Verdict?

The London setting.

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

Yes, it kept moving along at a very good pace. No dull spots.

Which character – as performed by David Thorpe – was your favorite?

Probably the main character.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Old friends are the best friends.

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Not Trollope's best

Reviewed: 03-13-18

What did you love best about Dr Wortle's School?

Timothy West's narration. He is always spot on.

What did you like best about this story?

Victorian values... they are so different from ours so it's always interesting.

Which character – as performed by Timothy West – was your favorite?

Probably Dr. Wortle.

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Couldn't wait for it to end

Reviewed: 07-06-17

Would you try another book from Margaret Atwood and Valerie Martin - essay and/or the narrators?

No, didn't like it. It was excessive and over-the-top. Narrator was awful, she sounds ill-educated and low-class. Several mispronounced words too which is unconscionable. Don't they have editors/coaches on these?

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting thing was not in the book but that I remembered the title and author's name after only hearing about the premise of the book from 1986 until today. Too bad the reality didn't live up to that.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of the narrators?

Someone with a more educated sounding accent.

Did The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition inspire you to do anything?

Inspired me to google the author.

Any additional comments?

I originally heard about this book back in the mid 80's when it first came out. So I already knew the basic outline before purchasing this title. The premise sounded intriguing to me and I remembered it all these years! However, the story was very disappointing. I really couldn't wait for it to end. I'm not a quitter so I listened to the end.

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I (nearly) love everything from Ariana Franklin

Reviewed: 06-29-17

If you could sum up The Siege Winter in three words, what would they be?

Literate, medieval, feminist.

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

Narrator was good.

Any additional comments?

Wow, you can really tell where Ariana Franklin left off (due to her death) and where her daughter took over the writing. Book became rather stilted at the end. The fight scenes were particularly badly done. I wish, in general with Ariana Franklin's (aka Diana Norman's) books that she didn't have quite such a grisly imagination. She seemed to really enjoy writing about perverted child molesters. Everything else is wonderful. The settings, the mystery, the pacing, the other (non-murderous) characters.

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Lots of mouth noises from narrator

Reviewed: 06-29-17

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not really, no. Story wasn't exactly riveting, narrator grossed me out with her mouth noises.

Would you recommend The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency to your friends? Why or why not?

Story was so-so.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator made disgusting moist mouth noises throughout.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

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Gotta love the Bronte sisters

Reviewed: 04-27-17

If you could sum up The Tenant of Wildfell Hall in three words, what would they be?

Victorian, moralistic, classic

Who was your favorite character and why?

Helen, for her strength of purpose.

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

Not just one moment, but many where the plight of Victorian women made me thankful for the freedom that women enjoy today.

Any additional comments?

I'm just catching up on all of the Bronte books that I haven't read yet. Not because they are so great but because they are the classics and I'm a fan of Jane Eyre.

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Pretty boring

Reviewed: 04-27-17

What would have made The Haunted Bookshop better?

There was nothing haunted about it. I was hoping for a few thrills and chills but it's more of a treatise on books and booksellers. I think this might be of the few books that is better off read instead of listened to.

Has The Haunted Bookshop turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I can't say that because this is also the era when Sherlock Holmes stories were being written. However, there is a vast difference. I guess I'll think long and hard before trying anything else by Christopher Morley.

Would you be willing to try another one of Stefan Rudnicki’s performances?

No, I didn't like that his voice was SO DEEP or his old-fashioned delivery.

Any additional comments?

I'm an old Sherlockian and so I hate to diss Christopher Morley in any way, but this book is really mediocre. Set in 1919, so it's very old fashioned. When it comes to a mystery I'd like some thrills and I was hoping this would be at least creepy but there's nothing haunted about it and the "mystery" was pretty predictable.

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2 people found this helpful