Comments on: Closing Out the Year https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=closing-out-the-year Snapshots of books, movies, and music Tue, 06 Oct 2020 21:40:53 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 By: Susan https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-13110 Tue, 06 Oct 2020 21:40:53 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-13110 In reply to Les in OR.

Hey Lesley … I completely agree … I loved the audio of Nothing to See Here by actress Marin Ireland … wow! It was one of my favorites of 2019. The Dutch House sort of grated on me … towards the end … I liked the beginning. I liked them living in the mansion. But after it lost its allure for me. Hope you are well.

]]> By: Les in OR https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-13100 Sun, 04 Oct 2020 23:32:35 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-13100 Thanks for sending me the link to this post, Susan. I agree with you on both The Dutch House and Nothing To See Here. I loved listening to both of these books, but I can’t say I loved Patchett’s book. It was quite good, but not a 5-star for me. Nothing To See Here will probably go down as my favorite audio of 2020. It was SO good!!!

]]> By: Susan https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11411 Sun, 22 Dec 2019 17:26:54 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11411 In reply to Laurel-Rain Snow.

Hi Laurel: I’ll be interested to hear what you think of The Dutch House and I’m glad you felt similarly about The Testaments. Interesting observations you have about what Atwood was saying of Gilead etc. I think she was writing about what is going on now … and maybe she’s saying we should keep up the fight against intolerable governments & administrations. With pressure, they will eventually crumble from within!!

]]> By: Laurel-Rain Snow https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11408 Sun, 22 Dec 2019 05:16:05 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11408 I also enjoyed The Testaments and felt more hopeful about the lives of the characters in this one. As if we (they) could overcome the horrific Gilead and move on. (Like people in the US can overcome what is happening now?).

I have The Dutch House, but haven’t read it yet. Soon, I hope.

]]> By: Susan https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11385 Tue, 17 Dec 2019 16:00:42 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11385 In reply to Susie | Novel Visits.

Hey Susie: Have a wonderful Christmas in Denver! I think you told me about Nothing to See Here first … so thanks for alerting me to the novel. I really enjoyed the audio. The only thing a minor concern about The Testaments is that sometimes it can be a bit confusing on which narrator is speaking or starting the chapter … but then as it goes on you become more aware of which one it is. I hope the audio won’t be too confusing like that. Other than that I thought it was pretty clever & a good wrap-up.

]]> By: Susie | Novel Visits https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11384 Tue, 17 Dec 2019 13:32:46 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11384 I’m so glad to hear you liked The Testaments so much. I just finished doing a reread of The Handmaid’s Tale (on audio) and have a library hold on the audiobook of The Testaments coming up in a couple weeks. I’ve seen some mixed reviews, but am looking forward to it.

Loved Nothing to See Here and The Dutch House!

Have a great Christmas in So. Cal. You’re escaping to warmth and I’ll be taking off for a week of cold in Denver. (Though honestly, you never know with Denver!)

]]> By: Susan https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11382 Mon, 16 Dec 2019 22:50:24 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11382 In reply to JoAnn @ Gulfside Musing.

Thanks JoAnn: great to hear from you. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas in Florida. Kudos to you for making such a big, successful change this past year. I think you might like the audio of Nothing to See Here … a heartwarming (and funny) story in the end. Marin Ireland’s narration of it is excellent and it goes by quickly. Tom Hanks certainly did a fine job narrating The Dutch House. Happy Holidays!

]]> By: Susan https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11381 Mon, 16 Dec 2019 22:41:30 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11381 In reply to Anne@HeadFullofBooks.

Hey Anne: thanks for your info on the book lists. I read Inland and Trust Exercise too … so I guess I’ve covered some bases. There were some strong novels this year for sure. Trust Exercise is a bit tough & grim … but see what you think of it. I will stop by your site to see what you’ve been reading. Hope your holidays are filled with joy.

]]> By: JoAnn @ Gulfside Musing https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11380 Mon, 16 Dec 2019 19:24:04 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11380 Hard to believe it wrap-up time, but here we are. I recently finished listening to The Dutch House and loved it. Tom Hanks’s narration added so much. But I can appreciate your criticism, too.

Like Ti, I want to reread The Handmaid’s Tale before The Testaments. It’s been 30 (!) years and the details are long gone. Had hope to get to it this year, but you know how that goes.

The premise of Nothing To See Here just sounded too weird for me to even consider, but you’ve got me rethinking it. Guess it belongs on my list after all.

Safe travels. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

]]> By: Anne@HeadFullofBooks https://www.thecuecard.com/books/closing-out-the-year/#comment-11378 Mon, 16 Dec 2019 18:22:32 +0000 https://www.thecuecard.com/?p=8954#comment-11378 All three of your books have been listed on the end-of-the-year best books lists. THE DUTCH HOUSE 16 lists, THE TESTAMENTS 12 lists, and NOTHING TO SEE HERE 6 lists. You pick good books to read. I, on the other hand, keep finding myself reading books that I don’t particularly like and neither does anyone else. Ha! Though I did read DUTCH HOUSE and liked it a lot, especially the ending. And INLA.ND (12 lists) which I also loved the ending. I think this was a spectacular year for good books as the lists cannot agree on one or two favorites. I hope to get to THE TESTAMENTS soon as it won the Booker Prize and TRUST EXERCISE the National Book Award winner.

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