No rating. I liked one of her others. But this was a DNF.
It was sad. And almost a rehash day to day of the Casey Anthony case which has been televisedNo rating. I liked one of her others. But this was a DNF.
It was sad. And almost a rehash day to day of the Casey Anthony case which has been televised on at least 3 different shows in depth. With other updates too years later that I happen to hit one time. Beyond the trial footage.
And this one was even more highly improbable as it progressed. And also in the narrator's attitude and language (both too volcanic) highly repetitive. And constantly also beyond sad.
So regardless, I am moving on to the far more original or holding a parcel of joy....more
Every few years I try another Philippa Gregory because in her earliest years she had some succinct, a few also interesting time/ era pieces.
This one Every few years I try another Philippa Gregory because in her earliest years she had some succinct, a few also interesting time/ era pieces.
This one I only got into about 100 pages and made it a DNF. She has bitten all the way through the revisionist history cookie. Also adding a top layer of impossible women for their time period, if not completely woke, sprinkles.
The result becomes characters that are preposterous. And also the repetitious nature of thoughts and wordiness become distorting and just plain tedious.
I probably won't try any of hers again. She left historical fiction for any semblance of reality and has in the last years gone to drama, romance, chick lit. scenarios nearly completely. Done poorly for other than the location placements, at that. No rating. But just as with the last one I tried and finished, it would be no more than 2 stars. Just a few authors are still writing literate and cutting historical fiction presently. On to finding more of them....more
No rating. I got to page 55 and made it a DNF. Not for me. Horrid voice. Too off putting to continue. I also dislike this writing style and form, on tNo rating. I got to page 55 and made it a DNF. Not for me. Horrid voice. Too off putting to continue. I also dislike this writing style and form, on top of the context subject matter....more
This despite loving the Last Policeman series by Winters is a DNF for me.
The plot twists are so confusing and the court scenes just too obtuse for me This despite loving the Last Policeman series by Winters is a DNF for me.
The plot twists are so confusing and the court scenes just too obtuse for me to slog through any longer. I got past all that but still can't find the thread of where these characters continue.
The premise is excellent, quizzical and it's me and this style that clash. Half the time I don't know what Shenk the pronoun refers to or about a fourth of the time who is even talking. They are all so glib and after returning to the book to try again too many times, I just give up.
This is the second of his books I have DNF as a result. I don't think I can embed into his snark think language or something. Also his continuity is such that I can't follow it. Others seem to be able to do this. So on to another. I have thrown in the towel.
Truthfully though, I don't believe any of these main characters would make it within any decent serve and protect police system or law courts. Bureaucracy doesn't have the patience either- nor does it wait for your context understanding. ...more
Just can't do this book. When there is that much foul language and idiocy in the first 5 pages, it takes all the want to know anything about any of thJust can't do this book. When there is that much foul language and idiocy in the first 5 pages, it takes all the want to know anything about any of these characters off my time schedule.
No rating. Got to page 100 and am throwing in the towel. Just not for me. Not the writing pace and not the storyline. Somehow I also don't connect becNo rating. Got to page 100 and am throwing in the towel. Just not for me. Not the writing pace and not the storyline. Somehow I also don't connect because that particular era feel is off. And I also find the characters just cardboard uninteresting. Despite all the grief descriptions.
Make believe that refused to let me embed as anything close to reality. Glad others have better imaginations....more
Another drop. Lazy and nasty people. Not for me. I don't want to live in their me centered juvenile cretin world.Another drop. Lazy and nasty people. Not for me. I don't want to live in their me centered juvenile cretin world....more
No review, no reaction. I got only about 30 pages in and threw in the towel. I really liked her Possible World. But this one. Nope.
Not for me. SomethiNo review, no reaction. I got only about 30 pages in and threw in the towel. I really liked her Possible World. But this one. Nope.
Not for me. Something about the form, but even more so the content focus. No interest whatsoever and I am not going to manufacture any. Not when I have at least 9 more desired in the pile just sitting there. So many characters introduced and none of them are memorable or seem real to me.
This also is sing/song quality at times, that's one of the factors in prose that makes me feel a sudden strong need for my anti-teeth grinding device....more
No rating. Not for me. Too melodramatic effusive and touched in some quirky way authoritative with torture and physical atrocity every tenth paragraphNo rating. Not for me. Too melodramatic effusive and touched in some quirky way authoritative with torture and physical atrocity every tenth paragraph. Got to page 20. Ewwee!
Writing flow is telling, telling of 1st person heart thumping. Prose impossible to spend any more time. I won't enjoy this and it holds nothing towards my interest. Lover's chopped head in a jar as a dresser punishment adornment? No, not a fan....more
DNF no rating. Too silly and too naive for any period, let alone that one. Ridiculous context which doesn't succeed in world building or depth of charDNF no rating. Too silly and too naive for any period, let alone that one. Ridiculous context which doesn't succeed in world building or depth of character to become fantasy fare....more
No rating. It's just not for me. I got about 100 pages in and made it a DNF.
I could go long on the various reasons why quite beyond the subject matterNo rating. It's just not for me. I got about 100 pages in and made it a DNF.
I could go long on the various reasons why quite beyond the subject matter, but I won't bore you. There was such a social warrior cleaver cutting the entire thing that I couldn't even use that ax to get through the effusive volcano mountains of chick lit dire.
But primarily the writing style is not at all my cup of tea. Others will most probably disagree.
Two huge tomes are waiting (600 plus pagers) that are delicious. Despite my usually disliking length even approaching that form....more
This is not rated because I didn't read more than 1/2.
It's more about the author's views re "product" than it is the title.
It's coastal California iThis is not rated because I didn't read more than 1/2.
It's more about the author's views re "product" than it is the title.
It's coastal California in great majority of determinations.
It's like looking at "history" with only the negatives numbered and less positives than you could count on one hand. Which is extremely "odd" considering the stats given in the first chapters about food costs and distribution in the USA.
And there you go too. This is more about quality and a couple of specific business forms (Trader Joe and Whole Foods "history") than it is about USA grocery stores in general. Especially those nearly anyplace vaguely ON the continent and more than 50 miles from an ocean or salted sea.
It is a miracle. Especially since you can consider that within 50 years, it has gone from over 30% to just 3% of personal incomes used for food.
There is a disturbing habit in this, as well. In the form, he will often put in longer footnotes than the print of the page. And most usually it has some Benjamin slant or is based on some "I think" story associated with the subject.
Very hard to read. Scattered in subject matter to the point of it not seeming a whole. If the flow of words was not so poor, I would have continued.
I do agree with him on a several points. The amount of packaging at Trader Joe's for portion sizes is over the top. And also, that taste little matters in many categories of "product" - and takes a second place to "how it looks in appeal". That's not only the few store chains he studied, btw.
This is far more about supply chains (minus most of the trucking that matters so intrinsically within the USA) than it is about grocery stores themselves. I don't think it was titled correctly and it was not at all what I had hoped it would be. Mom and Pop stores DO still exist. Many in smaller cities and towns. Some even in the East areas where you wouldn't imagine they could survive.
If I had finished this, I would most probably never given it more than a 2. It's a huge topic and some aspects not hardly approached. ...more
No rating. This is not for me. Don't even care if he makes bail. Bosch books are more than ok. Haller just seems like an arrogant manipulator. Too mucNo rating. This is not for me. Don't even care if he makes bail. Bosch books are more than ok. Haller just seems like an arrogant manipulator. Too much verbiage too. Done at page 50. The entire set up frame is ridiculous. He's done more than just jumped the shark. Ludicrous....more
No rating. I only got to just under 100. The language is too wordy, overblown for me. I can't keep the names or places straight and at times I don't eNo rating. I only got to just under 100. The language is too wordy, overblown for me. I can't keep the names or places straight and at times I don't even know where I am. Too much rereading required. Voids in time too. Plodding and plodding, not enjoying. Especially with the meme of dying and dying over and over again. On to another....more
No rating. I got to page 100 and threw in the towel.
It's a man's book with continual obsessions for breastly molded thought patterns served with a sidNo rating. I got to page 100 and threw in the towel.
It's a man's book with continual obsessions for breastly molded thought patterns served with a side of counter-transference impulses. Among the elite and entirely selfish of the 1882 Austria to Amalfi Coast "best". Those "that count" who have formal declarations of a paragraph or two to decipher the vast differences between German and Italian pastries (and how that reflects upon their national identity and character). With another paragraph or two of extended verbiage of polite exchange to decide or affirm the exalted opinion between the two as being significant or not.
I could have put up with all that but for the fact that I know way, way too much about the mental health and psychology school aspects of the accompanying analyst theory and practice to want to go longer through all the verbiage. I can't harden myself or my skin to the required cold baths.
It's decent prose writing but far from a fictional storyline that makes practical applications sense. Is it for the more enlightened who have never read the original source material? Especially those who see philosophy and religion as opposites. Or who love to celebrate or extol the freedom of individual humans from nearly anything that measures or requires a sacrifice or commitment that might stymie any portion of future immediate gratification or something in that single ONLY goal direction.
But for me. Not only a task to read this but entirely unenjoyable. The female characters are stereotype jokes. This is not just a "what if" but also nearly complete nonsense. I can't believe it is highly rated anywhere. Dribble/drabble. He misses the entire Nietzsche context "spread" think on top of it. Read Nietzsche first source material. Not this....more
No rating. I only got to page 62 and after starting two other books? Well, the comparisons in writing and characters just made me decide that this be No rating. I only got to page 62 and after starting two other books? Well, the comparisons in writing and characters just made me decide that this be a DNF. Everything in a pile of 7 physical and 1 Kindle on the side- and ALL of them hold more interest. I couldn't care less what happens to these creatures.
This is for another audience. Of which I am not a part. Ones who love despicable, amoral and just plain nasty people and who also love the label or name drop product wit. It was a combination of those two constantly exposed which made me scrap this one. Ugh! These people are so vile and shallow they could drown in a puddle. As long as it was a designer puddle?...more
No rating. This is written about library more within the realm of property management than I'd like to dwell within. The book is for those who view liNo rating. This is written about library more within the realm of property management than I'd like to dwell within. The book is for those who view library systems as being more social welfare agencies than being about books and materials, perhaps? Peak story was in fragments. Parts are interesting but too slanted through this author's rather book snob eyes. (She has the ownership syndrome.)
My heaven envisioned is a library too. So I thought I might have liked this read. Nope- completely different paradise. Even down to the decor and bureaucracy.
Others might like this LA hodgepodge more than I. Many give it high ratings. Not a style of continuity of prose I prefer in non-fiction for the over wide size of subject matter she tried to bite. Too much author testimony too. Overall it fails to hold together for me. Made it to just about half. DNF...more
Got more than 1/3rd read, decided to make it a DNF.
I can understand its popularity. Sort of, I do, but not completely. And not at all to the level of Got more than 1/3rd read, decided to make it a DNF.
I can understand its popularity. Sort of, I do, but not completely. And not at all to the level of overrating here.
At the beginning I was highly interested but I couldn't sustain it. I found the prime character rather insipid over all.
Coming of age is not my favorite category although I have loved some of them. This wasn't one. Those and the assorted crossover mean girls books! Nothing out of the ordinary re the conflicts at all, but not for me at all enthralling. More especially in such easy times and places as structured here.
The writing is par, but I'm just beyond tedious to read it. Not for me.
If this is 1984, it's rather ironic also that I had a 14 year old daughter exactly that year. I wonder if she would like to read this book. Perhaps! But she's teaching about 70 kids remote still and also about 26 in classes (1st grade yet) so I think she may have time somewhere around 2025. Maybe. ...more
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