Liz

Not for me perhaps.

Reviewed: 12-10-15

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

I think I'm glad I listened to it, but I don't think I would go back to it again. I found the narrator frustrating at times, mostly his pronunciation of 'okaasan' (oak'sun) which drove me mad. But I also found the narrative a little difficult to engage with - I found myself getting quite annoyed with these foolish young men and their poor decision-making. I think part of the point of the book is that loneliness can make one foolish, but they came across to me as rather self-important and not as sympathetic as perhaps the author wanted. I do wonder if I would have found it more engaging if I were male.

If you’ve listened to books by Natsume Soseki before, how does this one compare?

I've not experienced any of Natsume Soseki's writing before. The closest I've come (being the other early-mid 20th century Japanese writer I've experienced) would probably be reading Yukio Mishima's "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion", which I think has a similarly unsympathetic male character who doesn't deal with his problems in a particularly healthy way. Give me "The Tale of Genji" any day.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

His Japanese pronunciation. He also didn't really distinguish vocally between different speakers. Most of the time this was OK (and far better than very forced different voices), but occasionally it meant I got a little confused about who was speaking during dialogue.

Could you see Kokoro being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

It has been adapted at least three times, according to Wikipedia. I can see it working on the screen, although I find it difficult to imagine it being anything other than an art house movie.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

Let down by the narration

Reviewed: 29-09-15

Would you listen to Maskerade again? Why?

Possibly. It's an entertaining Discworld novel (with enough social commentary to keep things bubbling along as usual) but I might be more likely to read the book rather than listen to it again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Maskerade?

Granny Weatherwax taking on ninjas. What's not to love? And Nanny Ogg in the kitchen. Poor opera house.

What didn’t you like about Nigel Planer’s performance?

The voices were a bit painful. He had a tendency to make most of the women sound a bit hard of thinking. I still got to the end but I am a Pratchett fan through and through. I think if Discworld wasn't one of my comfort "reads" I might have given up.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"There's nothing quite like opera, and no-one quite like Granny Weatherwax."

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Mesmerising

Reviewed: 29-09-15

What made the experience of listening to Mrs. Dalloway the most enjoyable?

The perfect pairing between Juliet Stevenson's wonderful narration and Virginia Woolf's text.

What other book might you compare Mrs. Dalloway to, and why?

It's quite "stream of conciousness", but I think that means it works well as an audiobook. I'd probably (boringly) compare it to another stream-of-conciousness novel, like James Joyce's "Portrait of the Author as a Young Man", although I vastly prefer Mrs Dalloway. Mrs Dalloway feels more universal, and less self-centered, than Joyce's book.

Have you listened to any of Juliet Stevenson’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No, but if I saw she'd narrated something it would definitely encourage me to buy it.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The idea of using a version of the first line: "She said she would buy the flowers herself" tickles my fancy. Mostly because it sounds slightly sinister but isn't really, and yet it does hint at the way the novel centres on ordinary things concealing the turbulence of life.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Beautiful story, beautifully read

Reviewed: 29-09-15

If you could sum up Silas Marner in three words, what would they be?

Love's redemptive power.

Who was your favorite character and why?

While the gradual transformation of Silas himself is the heart of the novel, and I adored Mrs Winthrop and her goodness, my heart must belong to Eppie.

Have you listened to any of Anna Bentinck’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I haven't, but would be more than happy to listen to another of her performances.

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

I did find it emotionally involving, and it did make me cry a little - but only in a good way!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful