Les Misérable

August 19, 2023 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Les Misérable

Author: Victor Hugo

Performer: Bill Homewood

Length: 67 hours 53 minutes

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 29 2015/Naxos AudioBooks

Format: Audiobook

Review: At just shy of 68 hours long, this was longest book I’ve listened to, beating out Gone with the Wind by 20 hours. A lot of that time could have been saved if Hugo would stop rambling, but the rambles were pretty interesting (I learned about the Battle of Waterloo and the sewers of Paris), and they always linked back into the general storyline, even if just briefly. It took a while to get into the book because the first part is all about a man that sets the stage for the whole thing but the detail into this man’s life was extremely tedious and he was only mentioned briefly again maybe once or twice, but once the story started following Val Jean, it got more interesting.

Cosette and Marius were incredibly dramatic but entertaining, Javert needed to chill out, and Jean was perfect as always. That being said, I very much enjoyed it and the story was compelling (even if long). I can see why this is a classic and still revered.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 4

Fantasy · Fiction · Thriller

Dracula

May 8, 2021 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

Performer: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, plus cast

Length: 15hrs 28 mins

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 20th, 2012/Audible Studios

Format: Audiobook

Review: This was a fun listen and the cast brought the characters to life (with the exception of Lucy’s, which was just very annoying, to be honest). The classic was enhanced by an all-star cast and unique storytelling method Stoker used was perfect for an audiobook.

Dracula is a classic for a reason, but I wasn’t completely blown away by it. I think that might be because I’ve watched too many film and tv adaptations that the original just felt a bit ‘been there, done that’. I still recommend it for a fun way to escape for a bit, or to have on in the background while working or cooking.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating:

Fiction

The Godfather

December 14, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: The Godfather

Author: Mario Puzo

Page Count: 448

Series: Mario Puzo’s Mafia, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: March 1, 2002 by NAL (first published March 10, 1969)

Format: Paperback

Review: The Godfather is my best friend’s favorite movie, and she was adamant that we should read the book together. I must preface this review by stating that this is not my usual type of read, but from time to time I like to try something new, and a classic seemed like just the ticket.

After reading this book, I understand why it is so revered. Puzo is an excellent writer, and the world of violence, loyalty, and cunning he describes is positively fascinating. I found myself thoroughly engrossed while reading on my lunch breaks, and was always eager to find out what was going to happen next.

There is a lot of bloodshed in this book, yet at the heart of it, it is a tale of family, morality, and strength of character. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that this book glamorized crime, but it certainly put organized crime in a new light for me. What I found most intriguing about the character of the Godfather was that he was so well esteemed because of his reasonableness and respectfulness. He was exceptionally generous, and expected generosity in return, but he never asked for more than people could give. I found myself liking him immensely and I thought the author did an excellent job of crafting his character.

I highly recommend this book. As I said before, I do not usually read books in this genre, yet I cannot say enough good things about it! The edition I read had a foreword written by the author’s son, and I really enjoy the fact that the character of the Godfather is actually based off of Puzo’s mother. I would have loved to meet her, as she sounds like she was a true tour de force of a woman.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: