Found Reviews 2023

 

Occasionally we discover that patrons have shared opinions on a book.  Here are some of the ones that have turned up in the last few months:

Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter came back from a visit to another library with a note that said, “Thank you for keeping these ‘old’ books.  I enjoyed it!  Your Inter-Library Loan patron”

We were a bit confused by the review of The Sherbrooke Bride by Catherine Coulter which read, “Good but scandaless.” We weren’t sure if the writer meant “scandalous” or if she were hoping for scandal and didn’t get it.

A very polite patron included his review on an index card tucked into a copy of Colson Whitehead’s Zone One: “Mundane is right!  I’m on page 193 and nothing has happened.  I keep plowing thru the convoluted and unnecessarily verbose prose, hoping to get to the spot where ‘things start to go wrong.’”  He then provides a quotation, “… he concocted the thin broth of the silhouette from this despair over the death of connection” and adds, “Huh??”

James Patterson’s Mistress had briefer reviews but a diverse group.

“Same ole thing.”

“Good overall, but somewhat boring at times.”

“Loved it!!”

“Rambling! Boring!”

G. A. McKeviett’s Murder Most Grave attracted a trio of unimpressed reviews:

“Middle school level”

“Silly” and right below, “I agree!”

Last Call by Tim Powers has the dubious honor of being dubbed “Worst Book ever!” by an anonymous reviewer.

Beyond the Blue Mountains  by Jean Plaidy had the comment:

“Stupid”

Another patron took the trouble to reply, “Not stupid at all Victoria Holt and [Philippa] Carr style last ¼ [presumably means last quarter of the book] author played with different style storytelling.” (Note: author Eleanor Hibbert wrote under all three names, Plaidy, Holt, and Carr.)

Finally, Fresh From the Country by Miss Read came back with this notation:  “Nostalgic—very readable, but modern teens would be bored stiff. I would suggest these for older home-schooled children, or for history buffs.”  As a fan of Miss Read, I tried not to take offense. I was cheered by reviews on another of her books, Village Centenary:

“The very best of story tellers is Miss Read.”

“I enjoyed this book and may of the others Miss Read has written!”

“Love, especially when you’re English!!”

Finally, another patron tucked a comment written on a scrap of paper inside the old card pocket of The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge: “Love this book” followed by alternating hearts and exclamation points.