Folly

By: Laurie R. King

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 16 hrs

Publisher's summary

Laurie R. King creates unforgettable characters and situations in her mystery series featuring Kate Martinelli and Mary Russell. In Folly, she tells the gripping story of a woman on the edge of the world--and the edge of sanity. Tragedy and mental illness have been dark companions of Rae Newborn for more than 50 years. Her life seems to start rebuilding itself, though, when she moves to a deserted island to restore the house her mysterious great-uncle built in the 1920s. But Rae senses powerful forces stirring on the island. Is the skin-crawling feeling she has of someone watching her only in her mind, or has something disturbingly real taken notice of Rae? Like King's best-selling suspense thriller A Darker Place, Folly brilliantly portrays a woman pushed to her limits and beyond. Frank Muller's powerful narration captures all the terrors that stalk Rae from without and from within.

©2001 Laurie R. King (P)2001 Recorded Books LLC

I couldn't take off my earphones!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, great story -- Laurie King is always terrific

What was one of the most memorable moments of Folly?

The main character is wonderful

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I appreciated the wonderful descriptions of both landscape and the character's state of mind

Amazing Writer!

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel! What a great setting and novel main character. I liked the Beekeeper’s Apprentice series so much, I wondered what Laurie King’s other books are like. Each one of her stand alone books are phenomenal!

A tentative three stars...

This book, while well written, lacks a driving feel. To put it in its most simplest form... it's boring. There is the potential for a nice story and there is one in this book, but the lengths of details about wood working and the island drowns it.

Who cares about that stuff? It doesn't really move the story along.

As I said, this is well written. King is no doubt a great word smith, but the story... and it's always about the story, fell a little short of my desire.

I might try another book by her, but that, brothers and sisters of the written page, could be my folly..... :-)

Worst narration ever!

I am a huge fan of Laurie R. King, and I have tried three times to listen to this. I am on chapter 3 and I have no idea what is happening in the story because the narrator is so terrible, I simply can’t focus on what is going on. I’ve never heard anything like it. He adds drama where it isn’t necessary, lengthens words at the end of sentences with a weird breathiness, and simply makes it impossible to listen to.

Frank Muller Best Narrator Ever

Starts slowly but builds nicely. Well paced. There are characters you can really get to know and their relationship amongst each other intertwines nicely. I’ve listened to this book a few times now and always enjoy it.

Enjoyable Read

I'm so glad I merely went looking for a read by Frank Muller. I found Folly, the story of a damaged, fragile woman who puts the pieces of her life back together through good old hard, sweaty, physical work; coming out the other side as whole, strong. I believed in her. King kept me idly wondering about the identity of the bad guy by just tickling my curiosity, then moving elsewhere. Plus, best of all, I got to savor the late Mr. Muller's gift of narration. Yes indeed, a truly good read.

Slow burn, but it pays off.

What did you love best about Folly?

It all made sense in the end- every word, every thought had a purpose.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Folly?

The face -off in the window.

Have you listened to any of Frank Muller’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't, but that voice of his was perfect for the atmosphere of this book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it moves along at a slower pace, but it's weaving its tapestry carefully.

Any additional comments?

Just keep listening; it's worth it.

Couldn't listen another minute

What did you like best about Folly? What did you like least?

Don't know. I could listen more than 10 minutes, if that. Narrator was so syrupy I was gagging. I love Ms. King's writing but it was worth the suffering

What did you like best about this story?

couldn't say

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Drawing out the last consonant of every phrasessssssssss. So lugubrious it was painful

Do you think Folly needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

NA

Any additional comments?

would like Jenny Sterlin to do it.

Good Story -

What made the experience of listening to Folly the most enjoyable?

I like the way Rae works through her psychological lproblems at the same time she is working on the reconstruction of the house.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Really is only one character and that is Rae. All other characters are very minor.

What does Frank Muller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I didn't like him as a reader. Why was a male picked to read a book which is mostly a woman's thoughts?

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

this book is a thinker. Not a light read but not heavy either. It brings 'crazy' into our thought processes and gives us an insight into how it works and maybe we can build some empathy through that.

Subtle, but intense

Very well done. Suspenseful without going for the cheap thrill. Romantic without mushy platitudes. During much of the narrative, nothing happens, but the story is interesting enough so that we want to get to know Rae through these moments. The use of great-uncle Desmond’s journal entries were very good, too, and illustrated parallels in her life as well as in the life of someone she doesn’t actually meet until the end of the story. I loved the parts when she was building the house alone. When she was excavating the cellar and found all those artifacts and began to piece together Desmond’s stay on the island. Her love and devotion to the house’s restoration. The pleasure she took in her art and her craftsmanship (craftswomanship?). She sounds like a person I would like to know even though she doesn’t sound easy to get to know or like once you have. She’s abrupt and uncharitable sometimes. Kind of like me.

Most people love, love, love Frank Muller's narration and often, I do too. This narration however was breathy and overly dramatic. It called too much attention to itself and went against the grain of the story which is of a solitary woman sorting out her own demons in her own way. Not a good fit.