Reviews by Sue

Having listened to the previous 2 books, I still dislike the narrators flat, monotone voice as the main character...they should not have let her sing for sure. Having said that, her characterisations/voices are better than the main characters voice, which is unusual.

I personally found this final book a little tedious, in spite of the action and was in fact relieved when it was over. Too much tummy button gazing with the internal monologues and spoken thoughts for my taste.

I also found that there was uncessary level of detail on the torture and violence, which was almost continuous throughout the book.

Having said that the plot was interesting with some surprises in store, so if you liked the prevous two books, you will not dislike this one...but not as good as the others in my view.

I was not carried away with this book, and felt that it was not very well narrated unfortunately, a little wooden. For me the whole story line was a tad improbable, you might say that about lots of books, but I guess the whole point of fiction is that you can 'suspend your disbelief' and believe what you are reading, at the time you are reading/listening to it. I found this very difficult to do with this particular book.

Having said that I will listen to the next one in the series to see if it is the narrator or author..as the scientific points are interesting.

Similar to other reviews I really enjoyed the Company of Liars and particularly appreciated the talents of David Thorpe and his excellent characterisation and narration. He also in my view did an excellent job with this book, however the subject matter was nowhere near as compelling or interesting and in places just dark, dull and repetitive. I had to admit to 'speed-listening' to the end, which I rarely do, as I just wanted the book to be over.

The book in its merits does make you consider the time and desperate situation of the country working fold their cottages vs Church and Manor and also the power of the Church at the time. As for Company of LIars Karen Maitland is very good at bringing across the squalour and torment of the filthy middle ages, makes you glad to live int he 21st century.

All in all an uncomfortable and uninspiring listen for me I am afraid.

Simlar to some of the other negative reviewers, I have the feeling that I must have missed something in this book seeing some of the higher starred reviews. Firstly I thought that the narrator did an excellent job of the characters, I found her easy to listen to. I also enjoyed the first section of the book, but having finished it yesterday, and found that I was becoming more and more impatient with the second half, and just wanted it to be over. Since finishing the book, I have subsequently felt emotionally manipulated and melancoly about it and annoyed with myself that I did not give it up earlier. If you are happy to read about constant and repeated mistakes and errors of people under the influence of alcohol, and missed opportunities then this might be the book for you. For me the story was too dismal to be entertaining and ultimately too contrived and miserable to give any satisfaction ..sorry! My worst download to date.

I found that the story itself was quite interesting, but found the narration and the writing rather simplified and not very sophisticated for my taste for such an historical topic such as Venice, Murano and the Doges palace. For me, the male narrators mild English regional accent, modern style and tone struck me as slightly bizarre, bearing in mind that he was talking about Italians in the 1500's, although the style in which the novel is written partially forced this I think. He does put on an Italian accent for the characterizations. Very light listening, will not keep you awake at night.

I felt the narrator did an outstanding job with all the characters voices. The unfamiliar inflections and tones that the narrator uses with Wanderers voice in the first part of the book, I think was intended to illustrate the fact that Wanderer was alien and not used to the language..she changes this as the book progresses. Anyway, I did not find the narrators voice irritating at all..I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it as an easy, enjoyable and entertaining listen.

Anthony Head does an absolutely marvellous job of reading all these stories, his slightly Dutch accent on one of the characters is just so ingenious he is gifted. As another reviewer states, it would be wonderful to have more of his readings. Paul Temple stories are as you would expect, wonderfully dated, a relaxing, entertaining and throughly enjoyable listen.