Touch

An interesting concept that could have been a better book, if only the editor had been more diligent in editing, there is too much repetition and not enough development of the plot, the entities speak of love like Hollywood stars, often but never feeling it, and that makes the reader uncommitted to characters.
The section of the genie and the retelling from the grand daughter are the best achieved story with in the tale it feels like something from The Arabian Nights: One Thousand and One Nights, truly magic and sensual, also bitter and telling of the real depth of the genie's love.
A good second book but not as accomplished as the first book The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. if you like better book about body possession Anne Rice’s The Tale of the Body Thief is the one.

The reader was exceptionally good in his delivery and made the book shine with his acting.

I don't know what to make of this book - overall I am disappointed. Once you get past the initial concept that an entity can move from one person to another by touch then you pretty much have it. There is a narrative thread running through the book but because it is being driven by a person that continually changes their bodies, interacting with similar creatures, it gets really confusing.

The writing is crisp and well observed but there is far too much violence with the same scenario being replayed again and again. It is described from the first person which has the effect of making it more more graphic, which I began to find waring. It would have been more effective if we cared about any of the main characters but despite some "flashbacks" to try and build a back story they seem to have no redeeming qualities. Thus when the end comes and a sunset is walked into we can breathe a sigh of relief that it is over!

I bought this on the basis of her first novel the first fifteen lives of Harry August which was clever and engaging but this book seems like an intellectual exercise. The story could have been written in the first person with the same character all the way through like an extended episode of Mission Impossible. I don't know if this is unfair criticism It may be more effective if you read it instead of listening, as i said I am not sure what to think.

Iain

The story is very similar in its general ideas and scope as her first book, which was excellent. However here the lack of truly new ideas and plot left me a little disappointed.

Narrator Peter Kenny was brilliant as ever. Outranks every other narrator I've heard on Audible by miles.

It was difficult to follow this book. There is a lot of character changes which the narrator preforms well, but there are also many jumps in time which confuses things.
For the first half of the book I was lost not understanding 'when' they were talking about. Maybe the time jumps would be conveyed better if you were reading text?
Story line tied together more at the end though there were some abrupt changes and jumps forward with little to no explanation of the lost time in-between.

the first chapter put me off a little, i felt it was something that had been done before but as the story progressed I couldn't stop listening. very thougt provoking beyond the story itself which was great.

A complicated twisted tale indeed.

It's been a while since listening, but in general, The transition of the relationship between the two main characters.

More from Claire North please, the 1st 15 of Harry August was great, and this is not too far behind.

never really hits its stride and all the character swapping can be hard to follow. enjoyed the book nonetheless

Fabulous; fast-moving and intricately plotted, this one keeps you on your toes as your mind races to keep up with the myriad characters. Really excellent IMO, very well performed by Peter Kenny. Don't hesitate, it will leave you breathless!

With Peter Kenny reading, Claire North's stories are helping to fill the gap left by Iain M. Banks.

Loved it.

I am looking forward to her next one. Simple.

Struggled at the very start to get into it but as the story progressed, i found it very difficult to hit the pause button. Loved the idea, this is my 3rd audio book by this author and can't wait for more. Also love Peter Kennys voice