Misty Stewart

Promising Beginning

Revisado: 11-10-23

The story is interesting and the characters are compelling. I’m invested at this point and looking forward to listening to the next book. My only frustration was with Ms. Zeller’s voice for the main character, Tea. Her voice was almost always shrill and quavering, regardless of the action in the plot. This may have been a deliberate choice to make her a little unlikeable, or to emphasize her youth. The rest of her narration was done well. I did not notice the volume issues that others reported.

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Another Great Penric and Desdemona Novella

Revisado: 07-28-22

I enjoy this series so much. The stories are well-written. With all of the conflict in real life, I don’t currently enjoy mad amounts of conflict in the books I read. These books are excellent in that they have enough conflict to be interesting and make a good story, but not so much that I put my book down filled with anxiety and stress from something that’s not really happening. The characters are wonderful. Bosha is my favorite, next to the personality of Mira in Desdemona.

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I Can’t Wait For More

Revisado: 04-04-22

A.K. Larkwood is an amazing storyteller. I hope they continue to write because I can’t wait to read more. I’m tempted to start over with The Unspoken Name just so I can live in this world a little longer. The characters are as real as any person you’ve met, and the world they live in is utterly epic.

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Not For the Squeamish

Revisado: 08-24-21

Nicholas Ralph is just as amazing at narration as he is at playing the beloved James Herriot on the new PBS series. I’m glad I finally listened to the stories. James Herriot was a wonderful storyteller. He does not shy away from the realities of veterinary practice with livestock, though, so be prepared for detailed accounts of calvings, surgeries, and more.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Good Story, Decent Narration

Revisado: 06-28-21

The story overall is good. I’ve read the entire series before, and I enjoyed it. You can be a bit repetitive at times, and there are some minor holes in the plot. The narrator does a fantastic job with the majority of the main characters, but some of the secondary characters all sound very similar. Sometimes he would get his accents mixed up and use the voice of one character when it was another character speaking. Otherwise, it’s a good listen.

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Wonderful End to an Incredible Life

Revisado: 04-16-21

I’ve never cried over the end of a book, but I cried over this one. Terry Pratchett’s life’s work left us with the most incredible collection of stories- a world to get lost in. I look forward to when my daughter is old enough to share the magic of Discworld with me.

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A Trip into Childhood Fantasy

Revisado: 09-06-16

Would you consider the audio edition of The Ocean at the End of the Lane to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version. I think audio over print comes down to the narrator and personal preference. I don't have a preference, so for me it all hinges on narration. Again, not having read the print version, I cannot make a comparison, but what I can say about the audio is that Neil Gaiman captures the plaintive innocence and wonder of the small boy at the center of the story. I very quickly forgot I was listening to an audio book and just became carried away in the story.

What did you like best about this story?

The same thing that draws me to all Neil Gaiman stories- he weaves in the familiar with the fantastical and creates something that feels like an old and timeworn story while being completely unpredictable. You may have a general idea how his stories will end (good always triumphs over evil, right?), but you have no idea how he will get there.

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

When I read a book, I have a movie playing in my head- I see the characters and hear their voices. Mr. Gaiman placed emphasis where I may not have, and he made the main character understandable whereas I might have found him otherwise if I'd been reading on my own. He gave everyone a very specific life through his wonderful narration.

If you could rename The Ocean at the End of the Lane, what would you call it?

I wouldn't rename it. I think the title fits perfectly.

Any additional comments?

It's hard to review this book. I started to do a freeform review and then simply couldn't decide where to start or even what to say. I was taken back to when I had a vibrant and constantly active imagination- to when a pond in the woods was an ocean, trails were taking me to new worlds instead of from the house to the barn, and I spent entire days living inside my own mind running around like a little wild kid of the mountains on the hillsides and "hollers" behind my home. The story was new and fresh in a way that stories often aren't any longer.

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