T. Vega

I would listen to this story again because it really captured the era. The class distinctions were interesting and the story is an historical snapshot of a time.

I have read the book a few times before, but I thought the narrator really captured the biting commentary of the characters. The words seem so innocent, but they have a lot of power, and at times cattiness, behind them. I am a fan of the compliment delivered with the slap across the face and this story has quite a bit of that.

I laughed all the way through the conversation between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth. It was like watching a tennis game where each tries to get one over on the other and Lizzy came out on top.

The only thing that was a little off-putting were the huge silent gaps between chapters. I checked my iPod quite a few times to make sure that it hadn't stopped playing (my iPod does that sometimes for no reason). Once I got used to them though I just let it go.

The Black House ranks among the top audio books I've listened to. My son and I listen to this story on the way to and from school. We listened to The Talisman by the same authors and narrator and I wanted him to hear this story.

The narrator does a good job of switching between characters. We can recognize them by his cadence and intonation.

Yes, we listened to The Talisman. The main character is the same person from the other book only he is an adult now. Mr. Muller does a good job of distinguishing between the young Jack and his now older self.

The collaborations between King and Straub are very good. While I am pretty sure I can distinguish which author wrote what section, they do a good job of blending their styles. If I were to guess I would put the first book, The Talisman, more heavily weighted to King's character driven style. This second book has a heavier Straub feel to it because of the story arc and importance placed on plot. My son is a teenager and I feel comfortable with the conversations we have about the content of The Black House. If he were younger I would not have him listen to it. The story of mutilated children is generally not appropriate for little people. The Talisman is more palatable to a younger audience despite some of the language.