Anonymous

Excellent start of story and narrator

Reviewed: 01-30-20

This is one of the best stories I've listened to in a long time. The plot is good with likeable characters, especially given the fact so many are teenagers. The writing is tight and well done. And Wil Wheaton was an inspired choice for narrator--he is top rate!!

My only objection is the character of Alexander's sidekick, Daniel, who invites problems and disasters when he is not acting childish, selfish, irresponsible, and stupid. He has patsy/hostage/deadweight/unnecessarily difficult problem child constantly slowing everyone down written all over him. When it looked like he was about to be killed I cheered. I knew Alex and Phoebe would feel sad and probably guilty, but at least he would not be around making their lives more difficult. Alex says he finds Daniel amusing; I did not. It would have been bearable if he had been smart or skilled or even a team player, but he is not.

However the story is so good that even Daniel can't cool my interest, and I have just started the second book of the trilogy.

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2 people found this helpful

Good story, poor reader

Reviewed: 12-18-18

While the story was entertaining, the reader's voice was awful, both too high pitched (squeaky), and very nasal. Quite off-putting.

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Stupidest most self-endangering heroine ever

Reviewed: 11-15-18

In all my years of reading I have NEVER come across a a more determinedly naive female heroine. She has zero self-awareness, zero sense of self-preservation. She is so stupid I kept wanting to scream and throttle her myself just to get her out of the gene pool.

Disregarding the most blatant clues and sound advice from people she trusts, she blithely walks into danger over and over, usually without any idea there could be danger coming. She allows creeps and bad people to hang around her and push her around without any awareness of her own danger. How she survived to adulthood is beyond my ability to imagine.

The story is Ok and the other characters are good, but why they tolerate her stupidity and poor decisions--and continue to rescue her!!!--is beyond me. Don't get this book unless you enjoy that kind of stupidity.

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not a lighthearted romp

Reviewed: 03-13-13

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I must have gotten the wrong idea from the publisher's quick writeup and review as I got it expecting it to be a much lighter tale. It is not. Listener, be prepared: while the plot and characters are certainly interesting enough to engage one, it is full of intense emotions, of anguish, fear, sadness, unkindness, and secrets.

From start to finish you watch the lead character, Pat, wrestle with his own denials, which give him an obviously (to the listener) distorted view of his life even while he gets more and more information that challenges it. As the story goes on you discover that some form of denial infects most of the characters.

But there is also whimsy and hope, a hope based on reality, not fantasy. Moments of relief and humor came from the portrayal of the seriously dedicated sports fan culture, what life is like surrounded by people whose main topic of conversation, reason for socializing, means of relating within a family, and self-identity is as a fan of a local national football club. I've certainly never come across a plot based on those characteristics before!

Would you be willing to try another book from Matthew Quick? Why or why not?

Maybe. I'd check out other's reviews first to get as realistic a description as is possible before making up my mind.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

The lead character, Pat Peeples.

Was The Silver Linings Playbook worth the listening time?

Yes, but once is enough, though I did learn quite a bit about being a dedicated sports fan!

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