All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication date: September 2011
Length: 10 hrs, 11 min
Source: Audiobook sent by publisher
For: Review
Series: Birthright trilogy, Book 1
My thoughts:
I don't know why, but this is such a fascinating story for me (even on a reread or relisten or whatever). Despite it's post-apocalyptic flavor, it feels like a contemporary story, as she deals with regular teen problems. But I love the added details of her life as a crime boss' daughter and handler of illegal chocolate. It didn't pale on a reread, and in fact improved thanks to the audio version I listened to this time. Ilyana Kadushin did a fabulous job and I loved the emotion she infused to Anya. Perfect for catching me up to speed for the sequel! (See my first review here.)
(For more dystopian awesome, check out Presenting Lenore's Dystopian August celebration!)
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Dune by Frank Herbert
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1965
Pages: 544 (in this edition)
Source: Library
For: Read-Along
Series: Dune Chronicles, Book 1
My thoughts:
After all those discussion questions, I figured I'd have not much else to say. I enjoyed being so completely immersed in such a well-developed and complex world complete with a unique and believable culture. I liked how the plot was twisted and complicated and just plain crazy at times; it was also convoluted and had numerous weird hallucinations. The ending really surprised me, despite Paul seeing things so far in advance. It sports tons of characters and cultures, many of which are very well-developed. Definitely this was worth reading, even though I had a hard time liking it because it was long and boring and confusing and none of the characters were particularly likable. Sometimes there were too many things going on and I lost track of what was happening. When I was able to follow the double and triple meanings of every word spoken, I was impressed, but often I was just lost. I think it might be better on a reread, since you can get something new out of it just because there's so much in there and it will hopefully be familiar. Note: there is quite a lot of gory violence.
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Magyk by Angie Sage
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication date: April 2005
Length: 12 hrs, 4 min
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Septimus Heap, Book 1
My thoughts:
I loved the quirky cast of characters, fun plot, and great magic (magyk?) system in this book. I'm sure this series has huge appeal for younger Harry Potter fans. In fact, at the beginning I kept imagining it as fan fiction about the Weasleys (it's not). It was fun and unexpected and I truly enjoyed it. I did get a bit bored in the middle, as the story seemed to drag a little, but it picked up near the end again. I saw the twist at the end coming a mile off, but still enjoyed it. The narration had some good points and some bad. Allan Corduner did a lot of great voices, making the characters distinct, but the one major drawback I found was in his kids' voices - I had a hard time distinguishing between them, especially during dialog. Otherwise, a bang up job.
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In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber by L.A. Meyer
Publisher: Listen and Live Audio
Publication date: 2008
Length: 15 hrs, 24 min
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Bloody Jack, Book 4
My thoughts:
It's no secret I love the Bloody Jack audio books, but this one took the unbelievable plot line just a little bit too far for me. I kept being distracted enough to wonder if what was happening could ever realistically happen. Still, I love Jacky's ingenuity and her interactions with the girls and was caught up when there was any action. It got a bit too bawdy at times for my taste and some of the minor characters (of which there are a million - all those girls) were lacking in any kind of personality (exception: Clarissa). Otherwise, with the delightful variations and color of Katherine Kellgren's narration, I would listen forever.
Any of these sound good to you? Any you adored?
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Posts
Many in our family have listened to the Septimus Heap audiobooks and really enjoyed them. There is a different narrator (Gerard Doyle) starting with Book Two that we liked even better than the first. Such a fun series!
ReplyDeleteAnd I also love the Bloody Jack audiobooks (Katherine Kellgren is amazing!) but agree that the books definitely start to get more bawdy as they go on. I won't suggest them to my kids yet, but my husband and I have still enjoyed them.
Ooh, I love Gerard Doyle! I'll have to listen to the next books. I completely forgot to include the narrator's name in my review (Allan Corduner) (I've fixed it now). I'm sure I'll continue with Bloody Jack, because I just can't keep away from Katherine Kellgren :)
DeleteI've yet to read All These Things I've Done even for the first time. I need to get to it!
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like it! But, I'm not good at predicting that... :)
DeleteGlad to hear you liked the audio version of All These Things I've Done. I haven't read that book yet, but I do own the audio version. I'm not the best audio listener, so I'm relieved you say it's good.
ReplyDelete"Definitely this was worth reading, even though I had a hard time liking it because it was long and boring and confusing and none of the characters were particularly likable."
YES! This is exactly how I feel about this series! Also what you said about the three different meanings behind every little thing said and only understanding a small percentage of them :P It definitely is the type of book, and especially series, that would benefit greatly from rereads...but I haven't been able to put myself through reading them again :P
Do you think you'll read the rest of the Dune books? I liked the second and third ones better than the first in some ways (there's more sympathetic characters in them, though still not entirely great), but after that it really gets weird.
Hope you get to that audio - it's very interesting. I might sometime get to the sequels for Dune, but it will be a WHILE from now. Good to know that I would only need to bother with two other books :)
DeleteI actually have listened to 3 of those 4 titles and I agree! THe only one I haven't read is .. Dune.
ReplyDeleteLove Magyk, although it's hard for some of my students to get into unless they are higher readers, but I still have the books in my library. I think I made it through book 2 as well.
I'm hoping to dig into the sequel of All These Things I've Done soon, but will miss the audio. Really enjoyed that one. :) ONe of the downfalls of getting books early.
And Bloody Jack.. love those books, even if they get outlandish. I love the bawdy parts, I admit it. I love Kathryn Kellgren's narration. So great. I can't wait for the next book in October!
I really liked Because it is My Blood quite a bit, so I hope you do too! How many books are in that Bloody Jack series? I'm quite sure I'll keep listening, if only for the sheer joy of Katherine Kellgren :)
DeleteI think I was hooked at "illegal chocolate." Am dabbling in audio books recently, so may need to try this one out in that format.
ReplyDeleteAs for Dune, I try to read it every summer and it definitely benefits from those re-reads. It also helps to talk to somebody else who's read the book so you can figure out what you may have missed. Also, as another commentor pointed out, you should try the 2nd and 3rd from that series, but really no need to go any further.
I love the illegal chocolate aspect too :) I think it helped me a bit to have others reading it with me (even if it was only two others), but a discussion would be even better for me, I think.
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