LISTENER

Grateful Listener SME

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To hear his voice!

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-30-25

Really interesting to hear CS Lewis’ actual voice. His insights on the many aspects of Love prompt reflection, consideration.

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Thoughtfully written

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-29-25

I found this to be a thoughtfully written book on the deep subject of Birth-Life-Death … how we realize and choose to live, love, seek. I can imagine re-reading Once Upon a Wardrobe. In my opinion the narration was fine enough, not outstanding.

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What an intriguing surprise!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-24-25

I was delighted that this book took place largely in the years from about 1910, then right after WWll England’s Lake District, which became the famed home and treasured sweeping hills, lakes & dales of Beatrix Potter. Also, a really interesting and important interlude in London about six years after WWll when that city was poisoned with sulphuric gasses from coal fires mixed with a thick inversion layer of dense “pea soup” fog which sickened thousands and killed hundreds. The ability to be able to flee the city was life saving — for those economically able to do so. Another critical storyline aspect of this book I found fascinating and skillfully woven.
I’ll not say too much, but loved the weaving of actual history, art, lore, legend, beauty, gardens, the “extra”-natural…family dynamics, quests for human love…
Narration was spot-on & the additions of bits of music & occasional other extras added to the uniqueness of The Story She Left Behind created a luxurious uniqueness!
There were two elements that I found distracting and a bit off-putting: 1. The main character, “Claire”, I found to be somewhat irritating & trying in her nearly total self-immersion — no matter the background reasons 2. The book is divided up into nearly 60 chapters of about 6-10 minutes, on average, so every few minutes, the narrator must break the story to announce which character is the focus and in which location the action is taking place — even if neither the locale nor the character change for many chapters. Far better to have created fewer chapters; nothing would have been lost and plenty gained in the flow — especially with this being an audio version. Even in print, this strange breaking into multiples of multiple chapters would be jarring, resulting in many “chapters” being only 3-4 pages long, if that.
Overall however, a most unique, beautifully conceived novel, historically based! I’ll certainly reread & recommend!

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Couldn’t finish

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-15-25

Rarely do I not at all like a Nora Roberts book, but this “Lawless” I found to be corny as heck! It was one of her earlier explorations into writing. It takes place on the Western frontier and the Eastern pampered young woman goes West, decides to tough it out …was embarrassingly unbelievable, the hero figure ditto. Lots of literal eye rolling on my part until I just couldn’t take it anymore! No way could nor would I recommend this one!

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Tough, grisly but good early Nora R!

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-07-25

Written in the late 1990’s, this feels a lot like a combo of Roberts’ writing as crime, mystery writer, JD Robb, as well as her writings as Nora Roberts. Unusual “who done it” with developing love story, many characters. As other reviewers have said, with so many, takes a while to get everyone straight.
Within a few pages I settled in and enjoyed the male narrator. In my opinion, he did a really good job of relating this story; in fact, seems better read by a man in this instance.
Recommend reading and I may re listen at some point.

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Unique!

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-25-25

John Lithgow is always good and brings that certain affected, presumptuous elitism to his narration and personification of the protagonist. I’m glad I needn’t have paid for this short, pretty good gem. As it was, a nice little, unusual interlude with no downside of paying for so brief a listen!

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Ms Kingsolver’s writing!

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-24-25

As always, Barbara Kingsolver is a superlative writer, never shirking from telling the stories she decides to share with us colorfully, interestingly and with perfectly drawn appropriate details — no matter the tough subjects! A few years back I read that this was a subject — the misery, traps of bottomless poverty, homelessness, addictions, geographic locations that seem bound to make it all worse — that she felt bound by knowledge & conscience to not shirk from, but to share.
And Daemon Copperhead is all of this: a tough, true-to-life story woven of gut wrenching, all-out personal, economic & societal struggles, peopled unflinchingly by tough, true characters.
I really respect Ms. Kingsolver and read all of her books. This is the grittiest of her subjects, so far, in my observation — not to be read for cheers, nor happy relaxation, that’s for sure, but for the pure pleasure of her incredible artistry. But would I ever choose to re-read this book? Nah — it relates too much true-to-life misery for me to want to immerse myself again.
Narration is fine, not diverting, not jarring nor weird, not whiz-bang colorful…just right for this long tome.

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Rarely do I dislike Robyn Carr…

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-23-25

…but I stopped this disappointing tripe after chapter eight, as I no longer cared about the resolution of any of the characters. I had my doubts from the opening chapters focusing on “Charlene”, but I kept on despite my doubts. Nearly every character was galloping dishonest, duplicitous, an outright liar with next to no moral compass. Each of the family, individuals or couple groups was totally dysfunctional, and there were gallons of alcohol consumed in the various scenarios. Usually, in the many Robyn Carr books I’ve listened to there are a number of characters & situations with some depth, interesting redeeming qualities, people of some sort of personal moral compass… If any of these characters in The Wedding Party somehow developed in that direction within the last several chapters, well fine. After the unattractive wallow, I sure wouldn’t give a whit.
This book was a no-cost part of Audible, otherwise, I’d have requested my credit returned.

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Incredibly boring

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-15-25

Chapters and chapters of drivel. Just the most basic storylines, characters with no depth. Neighbors, I found to be about pointless. Harsh critique, I know.

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Not up to RC’s norms

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-11-25

Sunrise Point I found to be thin in storyline, not satisfying where any of the characters were concerned — maybe, “Maxie” the exception — whether those “old friends” or new. Whereas I nearly always want to go back to Ms Carr’s books to re-listen, I’m fairly certain this one, I won’t. Disappointed, but that’s okay, as both Robyn Carr and her fabulous narrator have given me hundreds of hours of pleasant listening in the past!

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