What made the experience of listening to The Hopefuls the most enjoyable?
This was a harmless book to listen to on the commute to/from work. It’s not Pulitzer material by any means but certainly holds its own in “light” literature.
Would you be willing to try another book from Jennifer Close? Why or why not?
Yes. It wasn’t the books fault I’m feeling like writing a scathing review – it is the narrator’s.
Would you be willing to try another one of Jorjeana Marie’s performances?
NO NO NO. And NO. Can I please make this a PSA for other narrators. Listen up, narrators! We do not need you to sound like Sandy from SpongeBob in order for us to glean that the person speaking is southern. Every time the two Texas characters were up I almost ran off the road from rolling my eyes so hard. Oh. MY. GOD. This was the worst southern accent I’ve ever heard and I’m from North Carolina. And please… please… do not whine the story through your nose. This performance was DREADFUL. I hate listening to my own voice on recordings but I would take it over this one. So… the book must have been good for me to suffer through this. So in summary:Southern people aren’t all hicks and caricatures. Wealthy people don’t have to be voiced as Thurston Howell III. Speak through your mouth, not nose. Make you voice less annoying.
Who was the most memorable character of The Hopefuls and why?
Hmmm. No one was especially likable. Main character – flawed and toward the end despicable and pithy. Husband – self-absorbed. Friends from Texas – Who knows? I couldn’t bear listening to them. Friend married to the old guy – not sure what the point of her was. Mother-in-law – one dimensional and falsely portrayed as rich and therefore vapid.
Any additional comments?
Agh. The more I write the more I hate this book.