| Title | : | Listen |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1414324332 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781414324333 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 350 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2010 |
Listen Reviews
-
This book had a an original idea and some positive points and was able to hold my interest until the end, but it also contained some stupid stuff and lacked the realism and polish that I would expect to find in a good suspense novel. I kept scratching my head over weird stuff that seemed to have no real purpose to the story except to destroy any sense of reality and turn the reader off. How about that life-size cut-out of Dave Ramsey, what was that about and why was it even in the story? I was really turned off early in the novel when everyone was making such a big deal over whether a lady would survive after getting hit in the head with a crappy plastic TV remote...oh, come on...I could beat you multiple times about the head with a crappy plastic remote and do no harm to anything except the remote--okay, you might get a slight bruise--and if the paramedics were called, one of them might be injured from falling down laughing. And what was the big whoop about spray-painting "Jenna Underwood is a virgin?" Like, who cares, really; compared to having your cat hanged? Call me a virgin any day if it means you let my cat alone. What about Lou warning Frank that if Angela pressed charges, he could lose his job? What would be grounds for dismissal and what charges could she file for his filing a missing person's report after multiple people reported that she was, ta da, missing. What law did that break? Anyway, you get the point dumbness after dumbness thrown in to ruin any suspense that might otherwise have built--why, couldn't the author find any friends kind enough to proof read her manuscript and tell her "this scene is just dumb--cut it out?"
-
This book held my interest long enough for me to finish it, but it lacked maturity. Some areas I could compare to my writers workshop projects from middle school...the mature developmental style of writing just wasnt there for me. 'He spoke like a favorite uncle talking of holiday traditions' and 'stirred the cream into endless darkness' were pointless and childish descriptions that need not be used. Four things that bothered me -Who hung the cat?! -Was it necessary to spend as much time as the author did discussing the lady who got hit in the head with the remote? Her injuries were not at all realistic -I understand that Marlo was a town of no violence but it seriously annoyed me that when they DID start having problems, they acted like the world was going to end. For example when the cat was hung, I find it unrealistic that such a large crowd would gather to look at the 'ghastly' sight. Also, Damien, the 'reporter', ever trying to do his best, suggests interviewing a ton of people and taking 'all different angles' at the cat being hung when in all reality the website (as Edgar pointed out) was truly the thing to focus on. -This book was published in 2010 and wasn't, as it was never pointed out to the readers, based on an earlier time period. This being said, there was a certain...disagreement between the age of electronics. Frank, one of the main characters, has an iPhone. But yet throughout the story, we see Damian's ineptness at a computer and the Internet continues to be referred to as the 'World Wide Web' which makes it sound like some new invention that not everyone knows the name of.
-
What if your private conversations just went public?
That’s what this novel is about. a place one might call “Pleasant-ville”, or otherwise known as Marlo is enticed by a eavesdropper who sets the web on fire with the gossip of the town. Only it isn’t just gossip, it’s what people actually said about each other behind closed doors. Mayhem and anguish erupt, and hurt builds up as each find out what their neighbours really think of them. Just how responsible should we be for the words that come out of our mouth; even if others were not meant to hear them?
All I can say is I’m stunned. It’s 11:30 pm here and my bedtime is 10 and I couldn’t put it down all day. I mean really put it down. It had me guessing whodunnit and it was driving me crazy! The twists, the plot! It was just wow! This story will amaze you. Rene weaves a story so compelling and so furiously heart stopping that I felt like I was intensly involved in it!
At the beginning I felt like I was a bit in the “Twilight Zone” (and I’m not talking Edward lol). I felt as though I was listening in on the conversations. Even the ending — Rene kept you guessing and when you finally got to the actual ending I wasn’t quite sure if I could really believe it. It kept me on edge the whole time!
Seriously, I’ve got goose bumps from this one. It isn’t who you suspect it to be, and I have a feeling I’ll be dreaming about this one for a while! Even more importantly is that it is a challenge put out to us to watch what comes out of our mouths!
Crazy good!
Thanks to my friends at Tyndale for a review copy of this book. -
This was Free Friday book from B&N. The idea sounded interesting and I had hoped that the book would follow through with the idea presented - what happens when private words become public. Sadly, the book was filled with one dimensional characters and a thin plot which was easy to divine the 'culprit'. Add to that a 'bad guy' who just wanted to perform a social experiment and was really just trying to convince the town bullies that his sister wasn't promiscuous. I feel like there should have been something a little more moralistic at the end, the main character keeps expounding on how important the town is to him and how it needs to be saved. Yet, he and his family leave.
There seems to be a lot of naivete on the author's part when they were writing this novel. The main character wants to be an investigative reporter whose columns are mainly his own opinion or that of his children. The reporter also never looks for stories, he waits for his editor or his friend the cop the drop the story into his lap. The antagonist is ultimately not punished for his deeds, although in reality he would have been. The protagonist decided to take care of the vegetative sister of his best friend who was killed - yet what medical institution is going to allow that?
There were just too many problems over-all for me to have really enjoyed the book, but I think that there is something in there that could have been a great story. I'm just sorry that execution missed the mark. -
For a little while, I'd given up on Christian Fiction. It seemed that all the books I was reading was just ridiculous, to be honest. I was setting aside more than I was finishing, and my eyes were tired of rolling. ;) After reading Sandra Byrd's Bride of a Distant Ilse and remembering that there ARE awesome Christian Fiction authors out there, and disliking the content I was having to deal with in most secular fiction, I started a reading list of Christian books that have been proclaimed "well written" by trusted bloggers. I'd rather support Christian writers anyway! I had to add Gutteridge's name from my own experience. I remembered how much I have enjoyed her books, and how different they tend to be. Listen had been sitting unread on my kindle, so I quickly changed that.
As I expected, Listen is a book that will make you think. It gives you a lesson in the world of gossip and judgement without resorting to a sermon. I read lots of non-fiction books, but I always appreciate a more entertaining fictional book giving me the same lesson! On top of that, there's a mystery throughout, and I quickly made my way through the pages to see if my guess was right. (It was, by the way, even if I have to admit that I also had a close runner-up that I highly suspected, too, and I swapped between the two a bit.) Even if you figure out the main mystery, there's still plenty more happening to keep you guessing until the end.
My only complaint about the book is the fact that a piece of evidence that suddenly comes into play at just the right moment was a little too convenient for my tastes. It should have been found much sooner, in my opinion. (But then the story wouldn't have kept going!)
Still, I really loved this book! There are some things I would have liked to have ended up different, and one person that I'm left worried about at the end, but it's an entertaining, yet thought provoking read.
Misery Loves Company is one I've read in the past that was great, too!
*I feel the need to edit this in, based on my opening. There are better written books out there, so I don't want to mislead anyone in that area! This is an older book, and there are little things written here and there that could have been better. Some things I found a bit confusing, like what time period this is supposed to be in, which I even had a discussion with my husband about. Some things are never completely revealed, and you're left reading between the lines. There are some things that most people would call "ridiculous", just like I mention in my opening. The form of it in this book was right up my alley, though, so I really enjoyed it! Most of it didn't bother me, but my reading tastes are a bit different. In general, though, I found this to be a great book to read when most Christian fiction is getting on your nerves. ;) -
One of Rene’s characters says, “Do the words we speak have any power over us...or someone else?”
In the book of James, found in the bible it states--(words) “the tongue is but a tiny spark that can set a great forest on fire.” Do words really have that much power? Read Listen, for your answer. The city of Marlo was the ideal place to live. It was a place where “society and family joined in marriage. It was safe enough for kids to play in the front yard, clean enough, you could get top dollar for your real estate.” Words changed this little town forever in the most interesting and scary way!
Rene Gutteridge has penned a modern day story depicting the ramifications of words! Reading the effect is staggering! Words spoken in private become public. How? Through a website called
www.listentoyourself.net. The town is coming undone from the inside out as private conversations are made public each day.
Renee made me really ponder the effect of words. How they affect everyone we meet. I think about words flying out of my mouth differently since I’ve read this book. Words I’ve spoken to my children, husband, co-workers...even people I don’t know.
I loved reading about, and was a little horrified to discover, the latest computer gadgets and what they can do. Trust is a huge factor when using the internet and interacting with others. How do we keep each other accountable? Renee touches on this subject too.
Words can be like a worm-virus—eating away at people and the very heart of this once calm, peaceful, loving town! Can anything be done to save it and the families that live there? Not only is the message of this book powerful, Rene, weaves quite the suspenseful, page turning story you’ll stay up late reading to find out who done it? Why? Listen is a keeper! Never underestimate the power of words. This book is a must read. I’m glad I am received a review copy.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog
www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine
www.bookfunmagazine.com -
I oh-so wanted to like this book, given the VERY intriguing premise: what would happen if all private conversations in a “perfect” small town were made public for all to see? This COULD HAVE been an intelligent, thought-provoking, can’t-put-it-down page-turner (I need more dashes in that sentence, ha!). Sadly, the story was filled with shallow, poorly developed characters and meaningless plot development that never went anywhere. Why was Dave Ramsey even mentioned? What about the whole going-to-church and prayer thing? And who was the one that hung the cat? It seemed like the author wanted to connect with her Christian readers (which is fine) with inside references that only they would “get” (not-so-fine, if they don’t move the story along and are a pointless distraction). The main character, Damien, talks out of both sides of his mouth when he says over and over that words have power and that people need to really listen to each other, and then he cannot bring himself to speak frankly or really listen to his best friend, his wife, his son or his daughter. Moreover, I found it rather bizarre that every female character was obsessed with dressing: they either looked like they were women without morals, were reformed slutty dressers themselves or were judging other women for their skimpy outfits. Puh-leeez. I don’t deny that catty remarks are made by women at times, but almost ALL of the women I know don’t dwell on such things, and would certainly judge the character of a person above how she dresses. This story could have been so much more: an exploration of how our words reinforce our attitudes, and our attitudes dictate our words. It reminds me of a saying an old friend once told me, “if it’s in your heart, it’ll be on your lips sooner or later.” That has served me well in keeping my judgments to myself (although not always perfectly). I give this book 1.5 stars.
-
I downloaded a free copy of this book for my Sony e-reader.
In the small town of Marlo, nothing much ever really happens, until one day a strange website appears with detailed conversations held between citizens. The catch is that these are private conversations. Neighbors begin to turn on one another as their private words are revealed to anyone who visits the site.
I thought this was an interesting concept, but poorly executed. None of the characters were all that likable, making the whole book a yawn fest, and I had a hard time taking the author seriously when the same grammatical error was repeated over and over again. When we end a sentence with a question mark, the next word should be capitalized. Always. No exception.
I guess this book was marketed as Christian fiction, and I've read a few books recently that seem to have the same problem -- there was nothing in this book to indicate it as such. I don't even remember any conversations about God or church. Just because the author is religious, that doesn't automatically make the book fall under the Christian fiction category, no matter the author's reason for writing it. I'd classify this as more of a mystery -- not suspense, since there was nothing really suspenseful about it, aside from maybe two scenes. Still, I correctly pegged the culprit about halfway through the book. At the end, I expected a bit of a curve ball, but never got it, so the whole thing was a bit of a let down.
Unlikable characters, amateurish writing that recycled the same words over and over again, and a poor plot, despite the unique concept. The best part about the book? The prologue -- it was the most interesting scene in the entire thing. Even as a freebie, I'd give this book a pass. -
This novel had enormous potential. The small, suburban town of Marlo is rocked when someone starts anonymously posting peoples private conversations on the Internet. People are in an uproar, fighting openly in public after their conversations are published, trying to figure out who posted them and how they're doing it.
Though the author did touch on it a bit, here's where the author missed her amazing potential. These days we are hearing a lot about cyber bullying going on in middle and high schools. The cyber bullying is actually causing America's youth to commit suicide, just like one of the characters in the novel. This is the route Gutteridge should have taken her novel on a whole, which sounded like it was written YA but was so focused on adult lives. I feel like Gutteridge should have gone straight up YA and focused more on the taunting the high school girls were doing and delve more into their awful MySpace pages, which were barely touched on. By focusing her novel on the YA aspect and cyber bullying, she could have written a powerful novel that might have had some impact on this American crisis.
And that's why this novel gets two stars from me. I liked it, but I feel like the focus was all over the place and it could have been better honed. -
I now realize why this book was a free download on my Kindle. I haven't actually read a book this bad in a long while, thank goodness. First of all, the idea for the book is not one that is incredibly novel, yet it is somewhat intriguing-that is, the idea that someone could hear all private conversations in a particular town. However, the character development was attempted, but not successful. I never really understood the thing about the cat hanging from the tree. And WHO gets knocked out because they were hit in the head with a remote control??? REALLY? And the fact that there were conversations about Angela's affair, along with Frank's death, really had nothing at all to do with the overall theme. Those events were not worked very well into the storyline...at all. Don't waste your time attempting to read this book!
-
This was an easy and fast read. I was flying through this book and was easily able to read more than I was expecting to every day.
The author did a great job in keeping us clueless about who was behind the website. Throughout the whole book, the only person we were told that could be smart enough to have done it was Hunter, but he was so young. It was hard to believe he would do such a thing. -
I will state that when I first acquired this book I was unaware of the author's religious agenda I will say. The synopsis I read just made it sound like an interesting thriller. So it did get a little preachy for me especially toward the end but in fairness Christian Fiction is not my cup of tea so I suppose I was not really the target audience fir the book.
I did find the overall concept to be compelling and the early half of the story had me quite engaged but after awhile I felt as if it was actually being drug out a bit too long. There was much to be desired in the characters. I found the majority of them to be annoying and/or ineffective and not particularly likeable. Jenna and Hunter were the most sympathetic characters in the book.
On the whole it was a quick and easy boom to read with some potential but also a bit lacking. -
This novel was a page turner for me. Being from a small town, I could really relate to the story material and the characters. Almost no small town can escape gossip, rumor and innuendo. In fact, they go hand in hand and would almost be lost without each other -- sad as it is so. Talking about others in a "not so innocent manner" and doing so in what they think to be perfectly private settings (especially their own homes) has always been around. The Internet has not. In this novel, someone is using their anonymity and crafty Internet skills to bring a town to its knees. Or shake it up.
In the novel LISTEN, the once small, quiet and peaceful town of Marlo that was voted to be 'Of all the places in the United States it was the best place to Raise a Child' is soon up in arms. The next thing the citizens of Marlo know is that an anonymous person has created a website that regularly displays very private conversations that certain citizens of Marlo say about one another. None of the conversations have anything in common with each other which makes it more puzzling. The lovable main characters (the journalist "Damien Underwood" and his family), the humble pastor and everyone in between in the small town of Marlo becomes suspect.
How could this happen without bugs or listening devices planted almost everywhere? Especially since 99% of the gossip was said behind their own closed doors. In private living rooms, and dining rooms and even bedrooms. Further, WHY would anybody in their right mind want to do such a thing? Whatever the reason, the person has the right tools to do this very thing and is very successful at unleashing what so many of us would not want to be caught dead with -- saying some very unkind, raw, and sometimes ruthless comments about other people that they have known their whole lives -- AND GETTING CAUGHT.
Harsh looks between long-term neighbors become second nature. Fights break out. Everything and anyone in the town is becoming unraveled physically and emotionally. People began to learn quickly to watch their words but then even the most innocuous conversations began to show up on the website.
As with the human condition, addiction is as commonplace as gossip. As soon as one person comes across the website (that is aptly named ListentoYourself) they tell another and the word about the existence of this website spreads like wildfire. Marlo citizens NEEDING to check out the next posting on the website becomes as common place as watching the news or reading the newspaper to find out "who said what." Yet when those very same readers unexpectedly find their very own words on a public domain, personal shame and embarrassment set in ... to say the very least.
No one is personally named on the website but, in a small community, neighbor's eyes, lifelong friend's eyes and even family member's eyes began to turn against one another. WHO can be trusted? Is it someone local or is it more than one person? How could they pull off something so Internet savvy and, at the same time, be all around town gathering people's words verbatim. Not to mention people not knowing that their words have been overheard at their own kitchen tables when eating dinner as a family or playing a game of Monopoly? Is there anywhere safe to have a conversation that will not end up on ListentoYourself.net causing suspect and scandal? Author, René Gutteridge has you guessing at every turn.
I loved how the characters were well described... as if you knew them a long time yourself. The main character, Damien Underwood, and his family are so lovable yet the author was able to put them under the magnifying glass of suspicion. I loved the style of writing with great memento, pace and with a heartbeat of its own.
It is no secret that the author shows how the power of words can create both peace and chaos. Had I not read the synopsis of the novel on Amazon and finding out it was written by a Christian author, I was not put off by any religious undertones throughout the novel. And I am someone who definitely would be! For those who WANT that message they can get it at the very end but it's certainly not a requirement or a huge put off.
If any of you reading this remember the "chewy bar" commercial that commonly illustrates how the innocence of children and their "ever-present ears" are always ready to 'replay their parent's words in public' ... you will relate to this novel. This is NOT what happens in this novel but it reminds me how easily things said in private can instantaneously become public and embarrassing -- no children necessary. But to illustrate my point, one of the children's outbursts that stuck with me from that commercial (in a comical way) was a child attending a wedding with their parents and the child coming up to the bride to say "My mother doesn't think you should wear white for your wedding." It is funny and silly unless you are the public victim.
We have always heard that actions speak louder than words. I know for a fact that that is true but this novel makes words speak for themselves. We have also heard that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." LISTEN demonstrates what most all of us have experienced at one time or another and will again and that is -- words can often do far more damage than a few sticks and stones. I have also heard that "Words said in anger carry little weight." To an extent this is true but just as true is that some words (especially words said against us) stay with us and we never forget them.
As the author says in the novel "The quietness of the town was never quiet... it was just hidden." Not to be interpreted that the town or the townspeople are bad. In fact, just the opposite.
Mystery, suspense, love, laughter, crying and intrigue makes this a great read!!! For more of the plot lines, etc. Amazon has enough to suit your fancy and the book has great reviews the most part. Yet I also agree with some of the reviews here on Goodreads. Like, what DID happen to the cat and who did it? There are certainly some loose ends and a bit over the edge as far as reality but not enough for me not to enjoy the novel.
Reminder: There is nothing in the Constitution that states we have a right to privacy. Not even in our own homes. Just food for thought. -
more people should read this...for the good of society
-
Whoa...this is considered Christian Fiction? Really? Well, huh...just goes to show how much I know. Anyway, Barnes and Noble sucked me in by giving me the free sample (the Prologue, which is deceptively, darkly wonderful) and with the super-cheap price on the Nookbook version of "Listen", I foolishly dropped the dollars for the rest of it. The book was founded on some really great ideas, and suffers from terrible development and delivery. No worries though, it was a great way to waste my time for the holiday.
Overall, it reminds me of a novel I tried writing when I was in my early twenties. I took a convoluted true story involving a lot of my friends and a plot that was dubious at best in real life, unbelievable in fiction. I changed the names of the players to reflect their real names/faces but conceal their true identity and then I did my best at rendering each person's viewpoint in painful detail. I stayed true to the story, cramming in as much of the truth as I'd understood it. When I re-read the text later in life, it was horrible. Nothing flowed. It was stilted, stuttering, awkward. And "Listen", much to my dismay, reminds me of my painful experiment in authorship.
Generally, I dislike giving low reviews without any greatly detailed reasoning, but this novel doesn't stir up any energy with which to rant and rave at the disappointment that this book created. I can muster the energy to explain just a couple low points for this novel.
One, when we are introduced to the characters, they each are transforming themselves. We get a tiny peek at who they used to be and a great big look at their current state of flux. Instead of telling us that a character used to be a certain way and that their current state is just "so" unusual for their character, show us. Show us who they are, and then guide us through their transformation, so that we can see they are acting out of character. (Examples: Kay going all chameleon to fit in with the cheer moms, Damien transforming from op-ed to investigative reporter, etc.)
Point Two is personal preference and nothing that can be quantified solidly; the names drove me up a wall. Principal MaLue, Gavin and Damien are WRETCHED names for adults; I didn't buy them at all. Especially Damien, as a thoughtful, intelligent, responsible adult. Now, the Caydance and other kids' names, yeah, I get that; lots of parents my age are giving their kids "naymes" that make us all cringe. I just had a really hard time remembering which character was which, especially when the author was throwing names around; one paragraph was full of names (Eddy, Lou, Damien, Frank, wait, which one's Eddy again?) that I had to stop reading, go back a page or two to try to grasp some sense of identity for each character. Maybe it's because there were a lot of characters with lots of intimate details for whom I had no fondness/investment?
And yet, I didn't hate it. It was okay. I won't tell all my friends about it. I just wish it'd been handled MUCH BETTER and developed in a way that it really made me think about the obvious (and overstated) message from the author. -
"Listen" is a Christian thriller (though the deadly disease is cruel words and the effects are confined to one town). I decided to call this a thriller because it started with a teen girl committing suicide solely because she overheard some friends criticizing her clothing and hair, and then it moved on to a cat being killed by hanging outside a pastor's house (and who did this and why is never explained), and it kept on going from one extremely violent reaction to another. For some reason, most people in this town reacted with criminal behavior when they read a posted conversation that might possibly be about them and they weren't held back by not knowing for sure who said the words.
In thrillers, it's more common for characters to act "larger than life" without their motives really being explored. That was true with this story, though once or twice we got a glimmer of why the characters acted they way they did. This works alright for action stories, but I got the feeling that the author was trying to impress on the readers the danger of hurtful words, even those spoken in private. Yet this "larger than life" style of writing left me feeling like people wouldn't really act that way, which took away from the intended impact.
This was even more so because many of the characters didn't seem very realistic. For example, the pastor is perfect--no matter what wrong was done to him, he acted lovingly and quoted Scripture about the danger of words. And I wasn't comfortable with how the main characters' justified one man stalking his ex-wife as proof of his great love for her and she should stop complaining about such a great guy.
The story did have plenty of action with suspense created from relationship tensions and physical danger. The author did a god job of describing the setting in a way that was easy to visualize.
Beyond the repeated Scripture quotes about taming the tongue, you wouldn't know this was a Christian novel until near the end. Then a fellow who was a nominal Christian at best suddenly started thinking profound theological thoughts. His wife's later response to a "let's pray" was a more realistic and interesting "Why would God listen to me? or any of us? Look what this town has become."
There was a minor amount of "he cussed" style language and a very minor amount of explicit bad language. There were no sex scenes (though affairs were referred to). -
Full review on
http://paperbackdolls.com
In a small town where nothing - aside from a speeding ticket - ever really happens, all of a sudden everyone is a suspect...but not to your average crime. When a mysterious website pops up and posts conversations of the towns people, showing others what is said behind the their backs we get to see what lies beneath the seemingly perfect illusion the town people have strived to uphold.
Now, people are hating their preacher, pointing fingers at their neighbors and looking in all the wrong places. The police try to identify the person behind the website and pull the plug on it before it destroys the town. But what responsibility do the people of the town have for the words they say when they think no one is listening? The answer is plenty. Life and death are in the power of the tongue.
Told from alternating perspectives of various people in the town, readers slowly get to know the people of Marlo and what motivates them all the while picking up clues to solve the mystery. This was done beautifully. Several times throughout the story I was sure I knew who was behind the website, then a chapter later I had moved on to another suspect. The town and the website are almost their own characters- one standing as a facade and the other exposing it's true colors.
The power of the words we use has never been more apparent than it is in LISTEN. Rene Gutteridge has wriiten a remarkable book that both teens and adults can relate to and should read. It's powerful!
I lucked out with this book and purchased it for .99 on kindle. It was such an awesome find and I enjoyed it so much, that I bought the print version and have shared it with my daughter who has shared it with friends. -
Marlo is a quiet town. A small town where everyone seems to know one another and life is fairly simple. But when a website appears that invites the residents of Marlo to "listen" to private conversations that have been taking place around town, everything changes. Soon, the whole town is in turmoil as individuals react to the things their friends and neighbors have said about them in the privacy of their own homes.
In Listen, Rene Gutteridge shows us the true power of our words. She shows how the little criticisms spoken behind a person's back can crush a relationship, and even lead to physical harm and death. It's a fascinating concept, but unfortunately, I didn't like the book as much as I had hoped.
Gutteridge doesn't develop her characters enough to make me really understand their motivations and care about them. This is a big issue for me ~ my favorite books are the ones where I feel like I "know" the characters and understand why they do the things they do. This was not the case with the characters in Listen.
In addition, several of the events that take place in the story seem quite unrealistic. And as the story gets closer to the end, she starts including more and more Christian messages about the power of words. In general, though, I just didn't feel like it was well written. It seemed like her point was to make a statement about the power of words, rather than to tell a compelling story about interesting characters.
I had higher hopes for this book, and it didn't live up to my expectations. Despite that fact, I do think the topics it brings up would work very well for a book club. -
Personally, I found this book to be incredibly fantastic. It exceeded my expectations. This is the first book I’ve read by Rene Gutteridge, and I will try other novels of hers because of this positive and delightful experience.
I found myself completely enveloped in the mystery, and curiously excited over www.listentoyourself.com I’m not a fan or a regular reader of Christian novels. However, I found that the religious references in this novel not to be too preachy, too pushy, or too forced on the reader. The main thing that was hard to believe is the small town of Marlo. Growing up in a small town, I can say without any doubt that they are full of gossip and crime.
The message of the story comes through clear, and gives you pause to think about. “People don’t read anymore with the exception of blogs and text messages, which are nothing but someone’s opinion, and hardly ever backed up by fact. Should we censor ourselves in our own home because of the fear of what might be heard? Do we have the right to say whatever we want behind closed doors? People don’t think about what they’re saying; they just say mean stuff and don’t care what happens or how it makes people feel. What harm is done when words are spoken in private? Who could be hurt by words they never heard?”
There’s a wide range of opinions of this book and its author, based on the B&N reviews. I highly recommend this book to any fan of mystery novels or fans of a really great read. -
A Free Friday book from Nook.
Using my tried and tested methods of book reviewing I gave this book 3 stars. The two criteria I use; did it flow and did I care what happened next, were both utilized. I read this book faster than I have read other books that I actually liked better. The style of writing was good enough and the cliffhanger chapter breaks kept me pushing myself to read ‘just a little more’. This alone would have been good enough to get five stars from me except…
The bad. I made a list of pros and cons to see how many stars I would give this story but there were more cons and usually just minor ones like:
Who hung the cat?
What was up with the string around Jenna’s wrist? Is this something that is so important that it had to be brought up twice in the story? If so, why not explain what it represents? Virtue? Whoredom? It didn’t make sense to me. The way the mother brought it up leads the reader to believe it is something bad but then we never get the answer. But, at the end she’s a virgin.
meaningless plot development
too many men crying for not big enough reasons
2/3rd of the book had very little church or prayer and then the last 1/3rd it was introduced but didn’t culminate with religion.
Did Frank really have to die to make this story interesting? -
Listen by Rene Gutteridge is a remarkable break from the author's growing oeuvre of humorous fiction. The small town of Marlo was voted the Nation's Best Place to Raise a Child a few years ago, and things haven't changed much since then. It's quiet, successful, and filled with model citizens. That's how it appears on the surface, but when a website starts reporting the private conversations of Marlo's residents, the dark side of the town is exposed where gossip, rumors, and backstabbing reigns supreme. As the town descends into abuse, violence, and even murder, newspaper reporter Damien Underwood tries to find out who is behind the website, even as his own family falls apart. Gutteridge is a talented writer well-known for her ability to perfectly render likable characters with all of their foibles. She tackles the tough topic of personal integrity. Do the words we say about other people behind their backs effect them? Do they effect us? Who are we really when the masks we wear for society are stripped away? Despite the novel's heavy message, Gutteridge never allows it to become a diatribe or preachy. The story is intriguing and thrilling as well as thought-provoking. -
Voted “Best Place To Raise A Child, the quiet town of Marlo hasn’t seen a violent crime since 1971.......however, that is all about to change.
When a website suddenly appears and private conversations begin to be posted, the town of Marlo becomes divided. Neighbor against neighbor, husband against wife, parent against child - accusations are flying left and right and no one knows who they can trust anymore.
Who is behind this website and how are they able to listen in on the town's conversations? As tensions mount and a murder takes place, the community is desperate to find out who is doing this and why.
This book is a great example of how you never know what you say in private might come back to haunt you. Listen was a fast paced, action packed thriller that held my interest the entire time. The ending surprised me as well and I found myself not wanting to put this book down. This book will definitely be added to my 2010 list of favorites.
If you read one book by Rene Gutteridge this year – make it this one! -
Though this book had some far fetched moments, it is not often I can find a christian fiction book I do not want to put down. I do know it is extremely hard to write good fiction coming from the christian element since the writer cannot just write like certain popular secular authors just in a ramble at massive words per minute. Not a care what comes out. Since a Christian author has a harder line to tight rope walk with to please both saved and lost and all in between and the enjoyment and want to read I got from this one. I am giving it a 5*. First book I believe I have read from her. Will read more of hers in the future. I also will add that the plot idea is different than most. I like the imagination here.
-
Okay, so what can I say about this novel?
I've read the reviews from dozens of people pretty much stating the same thing - too many characters introduced at once, bad writing, etc.
And I agree, for the most part. The writing was pretty basic, nothing unique. But one thing that really bothered me from this novel were some of the events that took place. I won't spoil them, but some were just too exaggerated and left me going, "Oh, come on! Seriously?"
Even though this novel had its "lame" parts, I did appreciate the overall message. Though it was displayed a little too obviously at times. -
The synopsis of this book definitely hooked me and I think it really could have been an insightful book. It had the makings of one, but it really just had too many under developed aspects and although it help my attention long enough to finish it (although 250 pages in 3 weeks isn't that great), I felt it was basically worth what I got it for--a free download to my Nook. I was left wondering about too many things, too many dots that didn't quite connect, and too many gaping holes in character development and plot. Bummed.
-
Listen was a very creative take on how gossip and words are very powerful. It was intriguing to see seemingly nice community tear itself apart just because of someone's words. Its like a whole realization that "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can break my spirit" thing.
I think that the book moved a little bit slow at points and I was somewhat confused by the ending but overall it was an entertaining and interesting read. -
I think this was a powerful and thought-provoking book on the power of our words. I remember it was all people could talk about when it first came out as well. I think the message is even more powerful in this format (as a novel) than in non-fiction because the author can show us in detail how lives can be changed by those careless words that we may not have meant for others to hear.
-
Pretty good book. One tip for the writer...something I read some time ago: If you're unsure about an adjective, leave it out!
-
Listen by Rene Gutteridge. This book will make you think twice before saying things, especially things that could hurt people. It shows us how much POWER words have. It can ruin relationships and can even cause death. But at the same time words can also uplift and change life for the better. People from a friendly small town called Marlo found their private conversations posted word for word online in a website called listentoyourself. Internet age and modern gadgets makes it easy for people with either right and wrong intensions have access to anything. With blogging, we consciously write things we wanted to share. People on their cell phones talk a notch louder and are usually heard by a few people near them. But are private conversations spoken inside your home really private these days?
This is another free fridays nook book. Although it is fast pace, there are times when it felt like (enough already). Some reviewers say it would be a good book club read recommended for both teens and adults.
