Orforded

Boring and Disappointing

Revisado: 01-09-22

I don't think anything could be more boring and uninteresting than the musings and goings on of the gilded youth of the early 20th century. I understand that it was his first novel but even so I expected more from the author of the masterpiece that is The Great Gatsby. I also did not care for the narrator. He was just too dramatic, feigning anger by raising his voice, excitement by breathlessly increasing the pace of his reading, that sort of thing. It got annoying after awhile.

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Not as Good as The Art Forger

Revisado: 01-09-22

After enjoying The Art Forger I was disappointed in this novel. I expected another story about the art world of the early 20th century but what I got was more of a standard romance novel. While the art of the time did play a role, it was not central to the story and seemed tangential to the romance. I also did not care for the narrator, her accents were inauthentic and unconvincing, her reading a bit over dramatic, and sometimes hard to understand, I don't think Matisse or Gertrude Stein would be pleased.

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Required reading

Revisado: 12-29-21

Required reading for anyone truly interested in the Black experience in post civil war America.

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Catalogue of Art Frauds

Revisado: 12-29-21

Interesting such as it is. Not very compelling. A little more depth of analysis would have been appreciated

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Crime noir

Revisado: 12-29-21

Story was good Chandler. Narrator was a little too dramatic for my taste. Writing was typical Chandler which I love. I think his novels may be better read than listened to. When I read a novel I create the voices in my head. When a novel is narrated I believe the narrator ought to be relatively neutral so as to leave something to the listener's imagination. I know not everyone will agree with me on this point.

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Beautifully written and narrated

Revisado: 12-29-21

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. What a treat to have a world class master writer tell this simple tale of end of life adventures.

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Pleasantly Surprised

Revisado: 06-03-21

Much more than I expected. Endearing protagonist, crisp writing, pretty good plot. I loved the Buddhist aspects of the main character.

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Wonderful Book But Wrong Narrator

Revisado: 06-03-21

I love Steinbeck and one of the many reasons why is his treatment of societies' outcasts with dignity and respect. He shows us that their stories are every bit as compelling as those of loftier standing. This is a quest story, but instead of searching for the holy grail or golden fleece our protagonists seek wine. But, the story arc is the same and their trials and tribulations no less captivating. A tour de force celebrating the Calibans among us.

My only gripe is the casting of the narrator. He was certainly competent, but his tone was more formal and proper and in that sense did not fit the telling of the story which was about characters who were the opposite of formal and proper. I think a grittier narrator may have fit the bill.

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Prettty Funny

Revisado: 10-02-20

Not Hiaasen's best writing, but how can you resist the timely story. I wasn't crazy about the narrator, especially when trying to use accents in dialogue, If you are not a fan of our current President you will get a kick out of this tale.

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Damn Good

Revisado: 08-04-20

A buddy of mine recommended this book, so I had pretty high expectations until I saw how many books Burke had written and then I became a little skeptical. Just another airport novel, I assumed. Man, was I wrong. The quality of Burke's writing leaves guys like Grisham and Coben in the dust. Burke checks all the boxes. crisp yet lyrical writing, plausible interesting plot, great characters and no formulaic bs. Dave Robicheaux is a flawed human being in many ways. Alcoholic and haunted by his Vietnam experiences and broken affairs, both romantic and otherwise. Yet, he is an honorable man in a real and homespun sort of way, and this makes him both singelminded and vulnerable. His musings border on the philosophical and are often right on the money especially when it comes to the brokenness of our world and the people in it.
Then there is the narrator. Will Patton adopts a soft subtle southern drawl with beautiful inflection and nuance. I listen and I hear a real person - Dave Robicheaux.

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