smilla's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ktxx22's review against another edition
3.0
This is fine nothing too special and kinda a let down tbh after a really phenomenal novella before it. As a woman who’s had 2 babies sans pain medication there’s definitely truth in the labor aspects and what a determined woman can do. Unfortunately this story was Told with the wrong narrator at the helm. The wrong perspective overall
zemily83's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mplsmysteryreader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jonabel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
kandicez's review against another edition
3.0
Rare for me, but I downgraded my rating. I absolutely love the setup and atmosphere of this little tale. The private Gentlemen's Club devoted to tales. Love that! King's descriptions of this and the writer's angst at being invited were all five star for me.
The actual tale...more like one or two. I just don't like this nasty little labor story. Nothing about it is appealing to me and imagining a bunch of old guys listening to it as they sip cognac and smoke stogies is just...ick.
Averaging it out, I get a three. I'm ok with that.
The actual tale...more like one or two. I just don't like this nasty little labor story. Nothing about it is appealing to me and imagining a bunch of old guys listening to it as they sip cognac and smoke stogies is just...ick.
Averaging it out, I get a three. I'm ok with that.
kandicez's review against another edition
4.0
I feel a bit like a broken record. I love the writing, the buildup, the background, but didn’t care for the tale featured in the title. I found all the detail about this Gentlemen’s Club that was not a club, fascinating. The idea that an entire set of books, previously unpublished anywhere else, could be found on the shelves of this…place, was fascinating to me as a reader. I wish there were a club place like that I could visit.
The fact that the men who “hung out” there were not members and paid no dues just sets my mind whirling on crazy spirals. How did the place stay in business, keep the lights on, buy wood for that massive fireplace, all the booze? How did Stevens earn a living? Tips, no matter how generous, at Christmas would not be enough.
When we get to the actual tale, I didn’t care for the finale at all. I liked reading about a strong and resourceful young woman dealing with the hand she was dealt. I loved how kind her doctor was. I did NOT care for the scene at the end. I can suspend disbelief with the best of them, but that couldn’t happen and there was no reason it needed to. The story could have ended any number of ways besides that one and I would have been happy with it.
Five stars for everything but the end and two stars for that.
The fact that the men who “hung out” there were not members and paid no dues just sets my mind whirling on crazy spirals. How did the place stay in business, keep the lights on, buy wood for that massive fireplace, all the booze? How did Stevens earn a living? Tips, no matter how generous, at Christmas would not be enough.
When we get to the actual tale, I didn’t care for the finale at all. I liked reading about a strong and resourceful young woman dealing with the hand she was dealt. I loved how kind her doctor was. I did NOT care for the scene at the end. I can suspend disbelief with the best of them, but that couldn’t happen and there was no reason it needed to. The story could have ended any number of ways besides that one and I would have been happy with it.
Five stars for everything but the end and two stars for that.