Bellman & Black

A Ghost Story

De: Diane Setterfield

Narrado por: Jack Davenport

As a boy, William Bellman commits one small, cruel act: killing a bird with his slingshot. Little does he know the unforeseen and terrible consequences of the deed, which is soon forgotten amidst the riot of boyhood games. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to be a man blessed by fortune - until tragedy strikes and the stranger in black comes. Then he starts to wonder if all his happiness is about to be eclipsed. Desperate to save the one precious thing he has left, William enters into a rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner, to found a decidedly macabre business.

And Bellman & Black is born.

©2013 Diane Setterfield (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

If you loved the Thirteenth Tale you will love this. Enthralling!

I was totally engrossed by this book from the beginning. I “Felt” this. The Narrator was perfect for this wonderful story. I’m going to listen to it again and again.

Wanted it to be better

Love Dine Setterfield’s writing, but this one just did not do it for me. I was hoping for more character development with other characters then just Bellman. This one was just not up to my expectations. O well!

Historical drama with a touch of the Supernatural

Fantastic! Absolutely enthralling. Not a mystery like other Diane Settterfield books (which I also loved), and this was cited by other reviews as a complaint, a disappointment. Don't Fall For It.

Disappointing

I looked forward to reading another book from this author of The Thirteenth Tale. However,I did not enjoy Bellman and Black. Very slow and somewhat predictable story. I frequently had to go back and relisten to parts because my mind would wander.

Nothing like the Thirteenth Tale

This book barely kept my interest. The thirteenth tale was 100 % better. I'll look for her next one.

One of the best of 2013

This is an absolutely extraordinary book by a brilliant author. Don't miss it. Absolutely spellbinding! The narration is done by Jack Davenport who lends the perfect voice for the characters. Although to be honest I could listen to Davenport read a phone book and be perfectly content.

Classical

Very detailed, poetic writing. The story is a bit long and a tad aimless. Narration of the audio book is superb and made the experience of the novel feel more Gothic.

Enjoyable in its own right.

This narrator did an amazing job. The story pulls you in without you even realizing. Beautifully descriptive. Not as complex or suspenseful as the Thirteenth Tale, but enjoyable in its own right. A good pick when you don't want anything with too much emotion, but still want to escape.

I really wanted to love it!

I just couldn’t get behind the protagonist. Her other two books are outstanding. Keep them coming!

An Exquisite Character Study in Perfect Prose

Bellman and Black is a dark, brooding and brilliant study of a man whose life is at first smiled upon and then struck through with utter disaster. From the beginning, he was especially talented and diligent businessman whose whole life eventually revolved around work. A number of reviews have remarked that this book was a let down after her utterly brilliant debut in The Thirteenth Tale. Indeed, some have gone on to say that it seems to be written by a different author. That puzzles me in that this seems to be exactly the kind of book she would write; it is in keeping with her writing style, her focus on characters and dark events overshadowing lives. Admittedly, it doesn't have the narrative drive of The Thirteenth Tale, but it seems to match in almost every other way.

The protagonist, William Bellman, starts life a fairly normal lad with a bit of ambition and talent whose uncle runs the cloth mill, the villages main industry. Through his tutelage, William quickly becomes indispensable at the mill. He goes on to marry, Rose, the perfect girl, and have a grand family. Alas, he always worked a bit too much but not excessively so. That beings to change as he takes over the mill. Alas, tragedy strikes his life and his life is his work. He also now views his life through the lens of a mission; what he believes is a purpose to which he agreed. He made a kind of bargain with, what appears to be, a Grim Reaper with a nod to Norse mythology.

As I am wont to do, I went between the Kindle and Audible audiobook. Jack Davenport (of Pirates of the Caribbean and Coupling fame) is the perfect voice for this book. The tone of his voice, the pacing of the narration and phrasing and emphasize of the words are absolutely spot on. It's one of the best examples of straight narration I've heard. Whilst I recommend reading the book to linger on the language, I equally recommend this book based on the fantastic performance Mr. Davenport provides.

For full review: http://wp.me/p2XCwQ-14e