Identical

By: Scott Turow

Narrated by: Henry Leyva

Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Identical, based loosely on the myth of Castor and Pollux, is the story of identical twins, Paul and Cass Giannis, and the complex relationships between their family and their former neighbors, the Kronons. The audiobook focuses principally on events in 2008, when Paul is a candidate for Mayor of Kindle County, and Cass is released from the penitentiary, 25 years after pleading guilty to the murder of his girlfriend, Athena Kronon. The plot centers on the re-investigation of Athena's murder, carried out together by Evon Miller, an ex-FBI agent who is the head of security for the Kronon family business, and private investigator Tim Brodie, 81, a former homicide detective. The complex web of murder, sex, and betrayal - as only Scott Turow could weave - dramatically unfolds, and the chilling truth is revealed: People will believe what they want to believe.

©2013 Scott Turow (P)2013 Hachette

Interesting...

This was an interesting book, but not one that kept me on the edge of my seat. Although not a page turner, it was worth the credit. It had some unexpected twists and turns. Scott Turow is a very talented author. I will continue to buy his books.

This is probably one book better read in print

For a non-Greek, the names, nicknames and random and constant references to Greek tragedies, this book is more difficult to follow. Especially the female character whose odd name sounds like another English word, and the two were used in way too many sentences together, putting a listener at a disadvantage. It seemed to be an allegory for a Greek tragedy, and not the Turow I expected. It is not the mystery I thought I would get from this master.

Will keep you guessing until the very end

Any additional comments?

This book is intricately woven, with twists and turns at every corner. Great courtroom drama but even more powerful as a family tragedy. Beautifully written.

Not my favorite of Turow's

I love Scott Turow's books. I could not wait for this new book to come out and bought it the night before I left on a trip. Yet, this book just didn't grab me at the beginning or get any better. While the writing is superb, the plot was somewhat silly. I figured out the simplistic story early on and wasn't at all satisfied when I was correct. I just wanted this book to be better.

Where were the courtroom scenes? How about one character I wanted to hear more about? I will look forward to Mr. Turow's next book because he is allowed one less than good book since all his other books are so great.

brilliant all around

This is a terrific novel, one of the best of Scott Turow's many excellent books. This reading is first rate too. Identical can be read alone or, ideally, after Personal Injuries, only because a main character appears in both. Turow's a literary novelist who excels at plot and at revealing character through events, and at creating a feeling of reality. His novels are fully imagined, including the plot developments, which are never contrived, and never predictable, but seem almost inevitable in retrospect. Turow has a lawyer's eye for causation, and the nuances of human action and interaction. You do have to pay attention -- as I said, he's a writer of considerable literary merit. This isn't John Grisham or Steven King -- Turow's a much better writer, and his books are well worth re-reading, or hearing, not just to experience the same over again, but for an even richer experience the second (or third or fourth) time around. He's one of the few authors whom I know well already from the page, and seek out on audio.

Not my favorite Turow

Usually 5-star plus anything by Scott Turow, but this one too unbelievable for me

I So So Wanted to Love This One

Yes this book is a bit of a disappointment. I really like this author, his previous books: Limitations, Innocent , Presumed Innocent , Reversible Errors, and Burden of Proof... well I've given them reviews of 4 or 5 stars.
This time however Mr. Turow misses the mark. The story gets bogged down with too many unnecessary and uninteresting characters. The plot if executed better would have been very engaging. But this time the author spends so much time with family feuds and character quirks, he loses momentum and the reader/listener gets lost in the details that are frankly just not that interesting. By the time the "good part" happened I kind of lost focus and just didn't care that much any more. Next book I hope Mr. Turow gets back on track!

Good Turow

If you could sum up Identical in three words, what would they be?

Good story. Stilted reading

What didn’t you like about Henry Leyva’s performance?

Rhythm didn't flow. His inflection and rhythm was like driving over a bumpy road

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

No

Any additional comments?

Leyva didn't do Turow justice - so to speak,

great book

Great reading, among the best I have heard, especially from a man doing such a variation of characters. its good book that takes some twists that make it even better.

a dissappointment

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

As someone who who has heard or read Scott Turows' other novels, I was expecting a better story. The narration was poorly done and did not seem to mesh with the story. The narrator of previous books did a much better job. The story itself had a fair plot, but was not up to Turow standards. I was easy to figure the various twists and switches that were supposed to keep the reader spellbound but did not.

Has Identical turned you off from other books in this genre?

Turow should stick to his former cast and and formula; it is a winner.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Henry Leyva?

Any one of the other narrators who have read Turows' other books.

What character would you cut from Identical?

Evans' girlfriend. She adds nothing to the story, and not because of her sexual orientation.

Any additional comments?

i would like to return it, but have recently returned another book I did not like, and do not want to make this a practice.