Judith

I liked this book a little bit, but it is nothing like Grishams other books. Over half of it is a slow repetition of a man trying to learn Italian. This is interesting for a few days, but after a while it starts to sound like a tourist guide.

Grisham himself admits he has a love affair with Italy, and it shows. He loves to talk about Italy until it seems as though you're reading your friend's description of the slides of his trip to Italy.

The last few chapter are good. They finally take one back to the story line and the suspense holds your attention, but it certainly isn't riviting. Grisham wrote another book that is nothing like his others - A Painted House - which I thoroughly enjoyed. But, in my opinion, unless you are an Italian enthusiast, you may find this book a bit flat.

This book is fascinating, but some of it is difficult to read. This should not discourage you from reading the book. It is beautifully written and most of the characters are very real and fully formed. This is a MUST read and will become a classic, much as Khaled Hosseini first book, Kite Runner, has become.

I don't believe there was a dull moment in this novel for me. Like the main character in the story, I prefer a tale that has a beginning, a middle, and a real ending. There is no doubt that these are all present in this book. I would highly recommend this as a very enjoyable read.

There is not a single boring paragraph in the entire book. The author covers a myriad of subjects, directly and indirectly related to the Krakatoa eruption. Each chapter is fascinating. The reader is so in tune with the spirit of the book that he seemed to have written it himself. And, after checking with the book information, I see that he did! I'm glad I didn't miss this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this very long book. The author uses fresh contemporary language and a style that brings Rome up to date. At first I was a little distracted by this approach, but it became clear that the author's style gives one a very realistic picture of the times and the people. The romance, the intrigues and murders keeps the story moving. The only parts I found hard to get through were some of the battles. But even these were often interesting because of the great characters. All in all, it was a terrific read.

This novel was fascinating. The characters were well drawn, and the reader actually cares what happens to them. The plot held my attention from start to finish. The ending was satisfying, unlike so many novels. The extreme fascination with dolphins was a bit "off key" in this otherwise excellent read.

I didn't think I'd enjoy this book about diving shipwrecks, but it was excellent. It was so well written that I enjoyed every sentence. I even enjoyed the credits and explanations of the author's research after the story was over. At some points in the story, the suspense is so great I had to stop listening for awhile. Even though the main characters are full of flaws and insecurities, they seemed quite heroic and special after all they accomplished and cared about.

The writer of this book is very talented. I haven't read many books that are so compelling and so haunting. Some of the scenes are heart breaking. I'll put it on my list of best books ever.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and didn't want it to end. Don't be put off by the little bit of magic in the story. The fantasy is a fairly minor element, and the characters are delightful and well drawn. One can almost imagine that the magic is merely the medical innocence of a long ago age. The gentle humor keeps the story lively. I will look forward to reading another book by this author if it becomes available.

I didn't expect to like this. I just downloaded it to test my MP3 player. But since I had it, I thought I'd listen for a few seconds. I couldn't stop listening. It is fascinating. The explanation of how language (and thus knowledge) is organized and how it is being drastically changed by the web is not as obvious as it might seem. This speech is easy to understand. The speaker uses a lot of examples and funny analogies to get his point across. I'm going to look for more of his work.