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Brilliant

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 16-10-24

So here it is, the "banality of evil". It really is quite shocking. Pauly gradually becomes corrupted by such an evil system where he seems incapable of any understanding with little bits of dropped information like getting the concentration camps to be financially self supporting in such a casual way that it beggars belief that a man could be so unfazed. It reminds me of what my father said when he was rounding up these people at the end of the war. It was nothing to do with them, they were just following orders. We can imagine Pauly saying such a thing.

I have yet to finish this story which has been highly educative for me in linking up the many strands of which I already knew, some I didn"t understand. I am glad of it. The only thing that is missing are the women"s voices, which is a shame. Nevertheless, a quality read.

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Love these books

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 14-05-24

I sometimes replay the Hoon audible books because they always make me laugh. Can"t wait for the latest one, Stateside? Please let it be Angus King reading it.

I cannot understand why I take such pleasure in such a foul mouth amoral person who kills without remorse. Its like having a guilty secret. I am an apparently "charming old" lady with a veneer of respectability, who harbours the desire to let forth some Hoonerisms for the benefit of the various workers I meet who say things like "bless" to me. One day I am going to do it. Its all J D Kirks fault. I am turning into a foul mouth Bertha. God help the grandkids!

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2 people found this helpful

Its ok

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 14-05-24

Historical background good although too much detail around severed heads! In the end I got very cross with yet another portrayal of a silly female who puts herself in danger, when self preservation would surely held her back?. Mind you he was daft as well and therefore its hard to believe in these characters. I really must stop yelling at characters things like "for gods sake leave, the dogs will sniff you out". Or "why the hell are you there, of all places?" "No, leave yer dad in prison its safer for him and you". Oh well, it"s old age!!

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Social history

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-03-23

I have been listening to these after a nasty tooth extraction and needed something easy and bland whilst recovering. These have been good. Diana Bishop has a lovely soothing voice but will someone get Miss Silver to the GPs with that constant cough!

What has fascinated me are the manners and social mores. Being in my 70s I remember well how in the 1950s women were treated and here it is. Women fainting all over the place, untrusted by men, emotional and unstable etc. What is really annoying is Miss Silvers preference for the company of men. And that relationship with the detective? Bit weird that. She seems to have a real downer on women too, but that"s how it was. Divide and rule. You had to keep your man, especially from dangerous women, who you notice here always end up dead.. My mother kept her make up and hair dye into her 90s for that reason. The men here are ghastly brutes. "Snap out of it and think of me" was one comment. Huh!

I honestly think these books should be a part of the history of women in any University course of history or literature. Another bit is the total gap of silence around women of colour and men too.

Overall very enjoyable if you read or listen against what is said.

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Grim

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-06-22

I am giving up. Its too miserable for me. Good description of the landscape which matches the sombre mood of the whole thing.

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Excellent performance

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 30-04-22

How do you give stars for this ghastly story that is so well written, a classic, but so awful in its depravity and vile in its portrayal of dark, so called savages, so Other, so expendable. Here is Toby Stephens, a very underrated and superb actor giving it his all, bringing out the brutishness of this novel. And yet I say to myself, shame on you for listening to it, yet again. Shame that it still lives on. I suppose if proof were needed of why the Black Lives Matter campaign exists, this is it, its still with us.

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Great fun

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-06-21

Lots of different characters thrown in. A good storyline. Irony, funny asides and lots of sub plots. Really enjoyed this and one of my favourites. Would love to hear this adapted for the radio to join some other Falco dramas that the BBC do so well.

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Gruesome

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-06-21

Not so funny this time and you need a strong stomach or is that just me! Interesting detail about waterworks and how things worked then. OveralI, I prefer the more light -hearted Falco.

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Fantastic!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-03-21

Its not often that I laugh out loud these days but this sequel to Porterhouse Blue had me it fits. Crazy as ever, the characters are larger than life. Black latex, colonic irrigation, dodgy drinks, cat food factory and pigs. I only wish this had been made into a tv series as a follow on to Porterhouse Blue. My guess is they ain"t brave enough now, shame. The narrator was particularly good and kept the up the fast pace. Don"t listen before bedtime because you wont switch off ! Best listen in ages.

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Fabulous social history over recent times

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 16-12-20

Having visited Sicily I was attracted to this book, I was not disappointed. It does give an overall picture of the social history and the problems that the people have to overcome to obtain even the most basics of need such as a family rather than being an orphan with the nuns, who themselves had no options but to stay there after maturing. I recommend this to anyone with an interest in how Sicily has fared past and present. It explains a great deal and makes sense of so much of which seems to be so contradictory to the outsider.

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3 people found this helpful