Have about an hour left. While interesting, I find it waaaay over-rated: Tediously detailed with pointless side stories....moreListened to audible version.
Have about an hour left. While interesting, I find it waaaay over-rated: Tediously detailed with pointless side stories. Unless the next hour brings some surprise ending, I will be truly baffled as to this book's fame. (less)
Read it because my son Left it on my Kindle. I read world war Z and it sounded to me like a cheap knockoff. Not only was it that, but it was quite pos...moreRead it because my son Left it on my Kindle. I read world war Z and it sounded to me like a cheap knockoff. Not only was it that, but it was quite possibly one of the worst books I've ever read in my life.
Stupid, repetitive, nonsensical, ridiculously incongruent and unbelievable (even for a zombie book), main plot threads never answered, and a non-ending that will drive you insane after suffering through it.
Read this back in college but didn't remember it well.
Enjoyed it well enough but scratch my head at the idea that this is "the great American novel"....moreRead this back in college but didn't remember it well.
Enjoyed it well enough but scratch my head at the idea that this is "the great American novel". Why? It's hard to follow and doesn't appear to be all that well written. I had to go back over several parts to ascertain what was being talked about and am still confused about several of the outcomes-- like how things ended with Jordan and why daisy gets off Scott free. (less)
Audible book. Loved listening to him read his own book. His delivery is oddly stilted, but I found it very pleasant. The accent was nice too. Though i...moreAudible book. Loved listening to him read his own book. His delivery is oddly stilted, but I found it very pleasant. The accent was nice too. Though i enjoyed it all, I liked the early parts of the book that were pre-food better. I did enjoy the food descriptions (food porn) but it got to be a little much. When he began cooking in ernest, I wanted to write everything down ( like sofrito!) but they started to get all jumbled up as the book wore on.
I don't like that other reviewers are knocking the rating down because he ignored his daughter for so long. He was very honest about the situation in the book--which takes a lot of guts. You don't have to agree with his motives, but you should at least be honest in your review of the book. (less)
Interesting read. Didn't know much of the history of the Chinese and the railroad. Pretty appalling. I'm familiar with the area, so that was a nice bo...moreInteresting read. Didn't know much of the history of the Chinese and the railroad. Pretty appalling. I'm familiar with the area, so that was a nice bonus. Felt like some of the characters and plot were sort of two dimensional and unrealistic, but I'm giving it 4 stars anyway. (less)
Torn between 3 and 4 stars. I enjoyed it but not hugely. It kept my attention for sure, but I found it a little unbelievable and inconsistent. Would l...moreTorn between 3 and 4 stars. I enjoyed it but not hugely. It kept my attention for sure, but I found it a little unbelievable and inconsistent. Would like to see the movie to compare. (less)
Highly enjoyed. But from midway thru it got a little preposterous and hard to believe (from rags to dangerous spy). I did enjoy it though and had a ha...moreHighly enjoyed. But from midway thru it got a little preposterous and hard to believe (from rags to dangerous spy). I did enjoy it though and had a hard time deciding between 3 and 4 stars. (less)
Halfway through audiobook. Very repetitive. Very long and drawn out. Like beating a dead horse. And if the reader sing- songs one more Irish brogue I...moreHalfway through audiobook. Very repetitive. Very long and drawn out. Like beating a dead horse. And if the reader sing- songs one more Irish brogue I think I'm going to rip my hair out.
Just finished. The last hour nearly killed me. The middle (after writing the first bit above) showed promise. Then... nothing. "Rosie blah blah blah... shining like a white light in the Dublin gloom... blah blah blah blah... her white skin pressed against mine... blah blah blah.... we could finish each others thoughts in our minds without speaking... blah blah blah until I wanted to SCREAM. Nothing HAPPENED. How much can you write about your memories of your first love who died 30 years ago? The other, more recent murder was POINTLESS and never, to my mind, RESOLVED. And yet he continues to blather on about Rosie Rosie Rosie ROSIE. Hardly touches on the the other one. sort of like "oh well. Shit happens."
I'm so glad it's over. I just don't get Tana French. (less)
Audible book. Poetically written. I liked the chapters of the old man the best (and the reader for those) I found myself impatient to get back to him,...moreAudible book. Poetically written. I liked the chapters of the old man the best (and the reader for those) I found myself impatient to get back to him, but that got less as I got deeper in to the book. I did find the plot a bit confusing, getting a little lost in the timeline and characters. I think that is by design? And it is revealed by the end? But alas for me, I was still a bit confused at the end. The writing is wonderful. (less)
(Read on audible) Oddly entertaining. Were it not for the less-than-hoped-for conclusion, I'd give it four stars. It made me laugh out loud many times....more(Read on audible) Oddly entertaining. Were it not for the less-than-hoped-for conclusion, I'd give it four stars. It made me laugh out loud many times. The premise was so bizarre. I found myself wondering just how screwed up kids would actually be with parents like the Fangs. I concluded : pretty screwed up.
But the premise got more and more unbelievable and that made the end disappointing.
I still enjoyed the book though. And recommend it for a darkly humorous read. (less)
(Read on kindle). I didn't enjoy this book. I found all of the characters hard to understand. I thought the plot was totally unrealistic and hard to b...more(Read on kindle). I didn't enjoy this book. I found all of the characters hard to understand. I thought the plot was totally unrealistic and hard to believe. The huge "secrets", designed to keep you reading were, frankly, not that big of deal and a let down when *finally* revealed. The dad, and the whole "wolf pack thing," just was not interesting to me. He sounds like a total wacko. Eating raw meat out of a carcass? Really? Weathering a Canadian winter with no clothes, hat or gloves? Seriously? Shying away from human contact because he's more wolf than man? Please! I found myself just skipping over this stuff by the end.
I have loved a few Jodi Piccolt books, but the last couple I've read have been pretty disappointing. (less)
Audible. Enjoyed. Good mystery. But I found myself often annoyed by the reader at points. It's also a bit slow, but that's probably part of the charm....moreAudible. Enjoyed. Good mystery. But I found myself often annoyed by the reader at points. It's also a bit slow, but that's probably part of the charm. I just found myself impatient. Good twist. (less)
I cannot believe how many people love this book! Didn't anyone els...moreKindle lending library. Soooo unbearable. Trite. Predictable. Pat. Ridiculous prose.
I cannot believe how many people love this book! Didn't anyone else find it to be ridiculously written?(less)
Library ebook. Loved this. Worry that my only 5 star in a while is for a meaningless memoir of a funny girl. But we all need to laugh. She writes like...moreLibrary ebook. Loved this. Worry that my only 5 star in a while is for a meaningless memoir of a funny girl. But we all need to laugh. She writes like me and seems to be the perfect blending if you were to merge me and my daughter together and make her Indian. My only complaint is that it was too short. (less)
Kindle. Kingsolver, as always, has such great analogies and vision her writing is so beautiful. It seems clear that her writing has become more educat...moreKindle. Kingsolver, as always, has such great analogies and vision her writing is so beautiful. It seems clear that her writing has become more educational and 'for a cause' than it used to be. I get that she feels she can make a difference. She does it well. I just find myself preferring the older books to the newer. I still love her books. (less)
Library ebook. Stupid. Incongruous. While I didn't hate the premises or the repetitive "in her head" observations and rumination, the idea that she di...moreLibrary ebook. Stupid. Incongruous. While I didn't hate the premises or the repetitive "in her head" observations and rumination, the idea that she didn't talk to her husband on so many levels was hard to swallow. As was a lot of it. This certainly was not a book along the lines of a Grisham or Patterson. Not that that's a bad thing, but why lead people to believe that?(less)
Sorry for two stars, fans. But this book was a tough one to swallow. All the things that were smaller issues in the first were blaring horns in this o...moreSorry for two stars, fans. But this book was a tough one to swallow. All the things that were smaller issues in the first were blaring horns in this one. Inconsistent story lines. Over the top drama, dialog and plot that is then thrown aside in the next scene. Crazy inconsistent characters. Her brother? Peter? And now she's the "only one left"? Last I checked, Caleb was still alive. And don't get me started on her and Tobias. Ugh!(less)
Hadn't read a Lucas davenport book in a while so I grabbed this from overdrive. It was just ok. Kind of a three stooges criminal element. Not very sat...moreHadn't read a Lucas davenport book in a while so I grabbed this from overdrive. It was just ok. Kind of a three stooges criminal element. Not very satisfying. More pointless and sad. (less)
Library ebook. I enjoyed the flower part of the book. I have been struggling with books lately where characters behave in what I believe to be an unre...moreLibrary ebook. I enjoyed the flower part of the book. I have been struggling with books lately where characters behave in what I believe to be an unrealistic way. Several of the characters in this book did that and I found it to be so exasperating. It might be just me.
The writing is great. Character development is good too. Behavior was pretty incongruous. Grant and Renata were the only sane ones. I would have liked to know more about them. And what made Catherine and Elizabeth the way they were. Obviously deeply damaged. Anyway. I was disappointed. I had hoped to like it more.(less)
Audio from Sheila. Really liked this book though it lost its sparkle when the others joined him. It also dragged a bit in the ending and got a little...moreAudio from Sheila. Really liked this book though it lost its sparkle when the others joined him. It also dragged a bit in the ending and got a little repetitive as he got closer to his destination and queenie. But all in all that was forgivable because it is such a sweet read. (less)
Loaned book from Teri. Really enjoyed this quick read. Don't really agree with the other reviews which penalized author for trying to do too much with...moreLoaned book from Teri. Really enjoyed this quick read. Don't really agree with the other reviews which penalized author for trying to do too much with crime novel and autistic main character. There WAS a lot going on, but not in a terrible way. Some things -- like Kevin having his own secret or her best friend's reclusiveness -- seemed barely touched on and you'd perhaps like to know more. But I will take that over the author who drags things out and writes 200 extra pages that aren't necessary any day. A great page turner. (less)
Kindle. I'm stunned. can't really say anything without it being a spoiler. I like the Harry of the last several books more than first. Good mystery pi...moreKindle. I'm stunned. can't really say anything without it being a spoiler. I like the Harry of the last several books more than first. Good mystery piece. Good characters. I'm not so sure about the end(less)
Audio. To be fair this might be a way better book than two stars. It's just impossible for me to know because it gets so mixed up with the audio reade...moreAudio. To be fair this might be a way better book than two stars. It's just impossible for me to know because it gets so mixed up with the audio reader, which was truly bizarre. I definitely don't recommend it. But the STORY was interesting enough. Made me want to dig a little deeper into Hemingway. (less)
Audible. Bought on ridiculously high audible editors recommendation. Billed as the next "the Help". -Special. -Amazing.
I don't get it. Had I not been...moreAudible. Bought on ridiculously high audible editors recommendation. Billed as the next "the Help". -Special. -Amazing.
I don't get it. Had I not been expecting so much I'd probably have rated it 3 stars. It was fine I guess. Just really not anything I could get excited about. (less)
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