Tracking Books Read: Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield

Posted November 21st, 2013 by in 2013 Read, 3.50 Wine Glasses, Reviews / 13 comments

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Tracking Books Read: Bellman and Black by Diane SetterfieldSource: Audiobook Review, Edelweiss EBook Review, Provided by Simon & Schuster, Provided by Simon & Schuster

Format: Audiobook
Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield
Narrator: Jack Davenport
Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins


Date Read: November 2013

Genre: Ghost, Horror
Goodreads

Bellman & Black is a heart-thumpingly perfect ghost story, beautifully and irresistibly written, its ratcheting tension exquisitely calibrated line by line. Its hero is William Bellman, who, as a boy of 11, killed a shiny black rook with a catapult, and who grew up to be someone, his neighbours think, who "could go to the good or the bad." And indeed, although William Bellman's life at first seems blessed—he has a happy marriage to a beautiful woman, becomes father to a brood of bright, strong children, and thrives in business—one by one, people around him die. And at each funeral, he is startled to see a strange man in black, smiling at him. At first, the dead are distant relatives, but eventually his own children die, and then his wife, leaving behind only one child, his favourite, Dora. Unhinged by grief, William gets drunk and stumbles to his wife's fresh grave—and who should be there waiting, but the smiling stranger in black. The stranger has a proposition for William—a mysterious business called "Bellman & Black" .

More Information:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Tracking Books Read

Tracking books that I have read but didn’t write full-blown reviews for. These will only have a rating and maybe a thought.

Listened/Read for Review (Simon and Schuster/Edelweiss)
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 3.50

Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: Bellman and Black is extremely well written with beautiful prose and wonderful imagery! The book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting but the story quietly pulled me in and kept me interested. If you are looking for something slightly gothic, beautifully told, and a little off the beaten path then I think Bellman and Black will work for you.

Audio Thoughts: Jack Davenport knocked it out of the park. I really liked his voice for this setting and these characters. The pacing could have been a little quicker but otherwise fantastic job!

FTC Disclosure

Clean out your E-reader Challenge hosted by Fantasy is More Fun (http://www.fantasyismorefun.com/) & Because Reading is better than real life(http://love2readalways.blogspot.com/)

Clean out your E-reader Challenge hosted by Fantasy is More Fun (http://www.fantasyismorefun.com/) & Because Reading is better than real life(http://love2readalways.blogspot.com/)

Overall Rating
3.5 / 5
Story Rating
3.5 / 5
Character Rating
3.5 / 5
Narrator Rating
4 / 5
Overall: One StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Felicia S
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Felicia S

Blogger at Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
Felicia is just your average gal from Texas that loves Audiobooks and Libraries with a passion! She can wine them, dine them, and love them forever. Her eclectic reading tastes include: Cozy Mysteries, Thrillers, Swoon-Worthy Romance of all kinds, Zombies, Urban Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and the occasional YA read.

During her non-reading time you can find her hanging with her rescue furr children named after book characters: Lizzie a beautiful cattle dog mix (Pound Pup), Cinder a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Pound Pup), and Minerva a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Foster Fail). Gathering with friends and family, attending conventions, watching movies/tv shows, rooting for the 49rs, and crocheting.

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13 Responses to “Tracking Books Read: Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield”

  3. Lupdilup
    Twitter:

    I don’t think I’ve ever listened to anything by Jack Davenport, but I going to keep my ears perk for his name from now on.
    Do you ever listen to an audiobook in a different speed? I have found that it does wonders when you find the pace a little slow, and it makes a world of difference 🙂
    I with some narrators I always use 1.5 speed with their books.
    Lupdilup recently posted…Daylighters Audiobook by Rachel Caine (review)

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    • Felicia S

      Have you ever seen Pirates of the Caribbean or BBC version of Coupling? That is Jack Davenport in both of them. He is just delish.

      I always when listening on my phone listen at 2x speed (on most) or 1.5x (on the rest). With this one though it was mostly the pacing in general. It was very methodical but I think that is the way it was written 🙁
      Felicia S recently posted…Friday With Me Week 10: Calm Weeks

      Reply

    • Felicia S

      When I have both the audio and written copies of a book, I get through them quick. I can listen at work and then finish them up in written form. It is harder for me to get through a book when I only have one or the other 🙂

      Plus, I listen on 2x speed which makes it a quicker listen 🙂 Though I never recommend that to someone just starting audiobooks LOL
      Felicia S recently posted…Friday With Me Week 10: Calm Weeks

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