I hung on by sheer stubbornness till about 4/3 of the way through, and then only because I wanted to read a novel set in Mexico. I didn't like any of I hung on by sheer stubbornness till about 4/3 of the way through, and then only because I wanted to read a novel set in Mexico. I didn't like any of the characters, their actions, their dialog, or the situations the author put them in. They were just really boring and inexplicable at the same time. It was just flat. Then at the 3/4 point, the language became quite foul. Wouldn't recommend this one. ...more
I was so enjoying the plot. A spooky monastery, mysterious library, crazed librarians and monks, and an overawed narrator… it was shaping up to be a I was so enjoying the plot. A spooky monastery, mysterious library, crazed librarians and monks, and an overawed narrator… it was shaping up to be a wonderful mystery. Then – the warning flags started showing up. There are many discussions, accusations, and allusions to sodomy or desires that way. It is portrayed as wrong, but it started to be too much for me. Then the scene that made me quit came up out of nowhere at about the halfway point. The scene included stripping and intimacy. Definitely would recommend against this one. ...more
I didn’t finish this one. Early on, there was the ‘mild’ swearing, then she started including rhymes of fouler (she directly told us that’s what she I didn’t finish this one. Early on, there was the ‘mild’ swearing, then she started including rhymes of fouler (she directly told us that’s what she was doing, repeatedly), and there was the unsavory backstory. All things that made it a read that I really didn’t enjoy. (I did jump into this series out of order, so maybe this wouldn’t be a surprise if you read the series in order.) I was just looking for a nice cozy mystery, this really didn’t have that cozy feel. The last straw for me was when after a couple of hours of listening, the language became quite foul. I quit. I wouldn’t recommend it. I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. No favorable review was required. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. ...more
I got about a quarter of the way through before I decided to quit. That was right at the chapter describing the sexual habits of various people as pieI got about a quarter of the way through before I decided to quit. That was right at the chapter describing the sexual habits of various people as pieced together from a few snatches of quoted letters and a good deal of supposition. It was to much for me. I was also having a little bit of trouble following the chronology. It jumped back and forth among dozens of people, multiple political battles, WW1 battles, and numerous explorations. It didn't really seem to follow any particular pattern that I could follow. It was confusing. ...more
Right from the start, I was pretty certain this was going to be a book I would not finish. It opens with a flight from a brothel and includes a numbe Right from the start, I was pretty certain this was going to be a book I would not finish. It opens with a flight from a brothel and includes a number of curse words. I kept going hoping to reach the story of redemption promised in the blurb. Unfortunately, long before the story even reaches the opening days of WW2, it describes with some detail his and his friends yielding to the temptations of the seamier side of Manila. It is handled with some delicacy, but it was to debauched for me. I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company. No review was required. All opinions expressed are my own. ...more
I was listening to it as an audio book, and I got really fed up with all the made up parts. There just so many sentences and paragraphed prefaced withI was listening to it as an audio book, and I got really fed up with all the made up parts. There just so many sentences and paragraphed prefaced with: no doubt, perhaps, probably, doubtless, without a doubt. Those were mostly inserted thoughts about dialogue, intentions, motivations and emotions, but also actions. I prefer history books to show me what is known, and not what the author speculates about....more
Chapter 31 was the last straw for me. I appreciated the earlier discussions of Vinicius’s attempts to understand the Gospel in light of the wisdom of Chapter 31 was the last straw for me. I appreciated the earlier discussions of Vinicius’s attempts to understand the Gospel in light of the wisdom of the day. However, that was really the only redeeming thing in the almost 50% of book I read. This story just seems to spend more time glorifying the sin than the Savior. I am just sick of reading descriptions of orgies. It was almost delicately written, but it implied enough to make it nasty. It is my personal opinion that we don’t need to delve into the depth of debauchery to showcase the heights of the glory of Redemption. Every human heart is dark enough to shrink from the overwhelming light of the Gospel when it first becomes aware of it. Because we have all been there, we can grasp Vinicius’s struggle without having to know a detailed list of his sins and the depravity of the culture. For me, this crossed the line laid down in Ephesians 5:11 - 12. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” Paul was able to quite adequately expose sin, and our struggle against it, without describing the excesses of the culture. So far I have not seen a very strong attempt at fulfilling the verse just before those, verse 10. “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” There are so many books out there, even by secular authors, that beautifully accent the glory of righteousness without delving into the surrounding sin. The first time I realized this was after reading David Copperfield. Dickens painted such a heartbreaking picture of the consequences of Emily’s sin that there was no doubt about what was right, and he didn’t have to delve into the dreadful details. Then how about Ivanhoe? Doesn’t Rebecca stand out against the evil around her even though it wasn’t detailed? For me, that makes a good novel. I don’t need the setting painted vividly if it’s debauched. Writing skill doesn’t make a difference. Being a classic doesn’t make a difference. Being popular doesn’t make a difference. The ultimate lesson intended or not by the author is more important than any other consideration because that is what changes people, not any other consideration. That on top of the theological errors and fictionalization of Biblical accounts was more than I choose to read....more
I made it about halfway through this book. Even before the scene that made me quit, I was considering quitting. The description I had of this book ne I made it about halfway through this book. Even before the scene that made me quit, I was considering quitting. The description I had of this book never let on that huge sections of this book are fiction. To be specific they are drafts of the author’s play about Copernicus. Even in the non-play sections, the author quoted a novel to fill a gap in the official record. Then the author’s insistence on including the astrological readings for everything was odd because she constantly had to tell us that Copernicus didn’t believe in it. I did like the section that combined the political history and Copernicus’ business records. I thought that was a very interesting method. While the non-fiction section made his moral failings quite plain, the play went way beyond that. It delved deeper into a fellow mathematician’s depravity. The language there was also fouler than in the rest of the book. That was when I quit. ...more
Parts of this book were fascinating. The snatches of personal biography and history held my interest. They were the perfect mix of historical setting Parts of this book were fascinating. The snatches of personal biography and history held my interest. They were the perfect mix of historical setting and human interest. Even the crazy political shenanigans were interesting. I just got tired of it. I got tired of the endless lists of possessions, descriptions of houses, and prices of this and that. After a while, about seven hours actually, I just didn’t care anymore what paintings they had or how much it cost to build this or that. There were several curse words. Several of the artworks described were indecent. ...more
Never would I have assumed that I would have to quit reading a book about chemistry because of a lewd scene, but I did. In his attempt to introduce u Never would I have assumed that I would have to quit reading a book about chemistry because of a lewd scene, but I did. In his attempt to introduce us to different chemicals and explain their lives, the author personifies them as characters in a smutty romance. So I quit what was up till then, an interesting book. ...more
I did not finish this book so these are my thoughts only about two-thirds of it. Parts of it were really interesting, and parts were rather boring. I did not finish this book so these are my thoughts only about two-thirds of it. Parts of it were really interesting, and parts were rather boring. It was interesting to read about the struggles these doctors faced while living in India and struggling to eradicate smallpox. It wasn’t so interesting reading about the rather mundane struggles they faced living in Atlanta and trying to balance careers and parenting. It was interesting reading about their learning to dress safely at a contaminated scene. It was not so interesting being told about their learning to adjust to a uniform. One thought about the organization of this book. I found it a little odd. It discusses numerous disease outbreaks from about the 1920s on. But instead of going chronologically, it jumps back and forth. So she will tell us about something that happened in 2001 and then jump back to 1950, then in 2005 and jump back to the 1960s, and so on. She gives us enough history about each outbreak to not really be lost in the timeline, but it was unusual. Because of the nature of work needed to be done by these epidemiologists, and the diseases they had to combat, several chapters discussed the homosexual lifestyle. It was done as delicately as possible but was more than I was comfortable reading. Because I was just reading it for my own information, and not from a need to know, that was the reason I quit reading. ...more
As much as I like the Nero Wolf radio shows, and as much as I want to like the books, I just can't. The language is just too foul for my personal stanAs much as I like the Nero Wolf radio shows, and as much as I want to like the books, I just can't. The language is just too foul for my personal standards. I had to quit the book. ...more
I enjoyed the first few chapters of this book. The history of the search for this legendary city was interesting. The archaeologists, historians, and I enjoyed the first few chapters of this book. The history of the search for this legendary city was interesting. The archaeologists, historians, and crooks that kept the search public for centuries are certainly a colorful bunch. Unfortunately, the language became quite foul after about 4 chapters. Because of personal convictions, I chose to quit the book. I really wish authors didn't feel they should include that sort of stuff. ...more
I didn’t finish this one. I was four chapters into it and it became I didn’t finish this one. I was four chapters into it and it became too lewd for mI didn’t finish this one. I was four chapters into it and it became I didn’t finish this one. I was four chapters into it and it became too lewd for me to continue....more
I didn't finish this book, because the language got too foul for my personal standards. I was about halfway through the book when I stopped. I had alsI didn't finish this book, because the language got too foul for my personal standards. I was about halfway through the book when I stopped. I had also paid close attention to this story as it was all coming out in the news, so I really learning anything really new. I can see how this book could be viewed as extremely partisan, I don't believe they skew any facts, but the constant calling out of the Obama administration could put some people off. ...more
This is a very detailed chronicle. Wilber carefully introduces us to those most involved or affected by that day. Each move of every politician, policThis is a very detailed chronicle. Wilber carefully introduces us to those most involved or affected by that day. Each move of every politician, police officer, Secret Service agent, relative, are recounted as are the preparations of the assassin. That's as far as I read before choosing to stop. The language became to foul for my personal standards....more
I made it about 1/3 of the way through this book before I gave up. Until then it was a rather slow moving but interesting book. The author has painstaI made it about 1/3 of the way through this book before I gave up. Until then it was a rather slow moving but interesting book. The author has painstakingly compiled the stories of the main characters involved in the KJB's spy rings focusing on the atomic bomb program and the cryptographers and FBI agents bent on stopping them. At the spot where I quit, the Americans were just starting to make progress toward breaking the Soviet codes. That was when the language got too foul for me. ...more
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