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A review by jenbsbooks
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
3.25
Lots of buzz about this book - I put the audio and Kindle copy on hold at the library and had a bit of a wait. I'll admit, that when it became available, I wasn't in a great head-space, and that might have affected my perception? For me, this was fine, but nothing outstanding.
Reading the blurb, I think the reader knows before even reading the first page, that the missing girl Ruthie, is the young girl Norma (even if she doesn't realize it herself). Even without the blurb, it's pretty obvious, not an "unexpected twist" or anything. Even the prologue ... "Joe, there's someone here to see us..." we all know what's coming from the start. That Ruthie is raised by another family, and that it isn't discovered for years until this final reuniting so many years later.
The prologue is 1st person/present tense - Joe's POV. Then it shifts to the chapters (17 of them) alternating between Joe and Norma, 1st person in each POV/past tense ... both told as an older person recalling their younger years. I'm one who doesn't like to see a preview of what's coming, I don't want spoilers ... so this all felt a little spoiled from the start. Just filling in the details of what I already knew the ending of.
I went primarily with the audio ... and that might have been a mistake. Neither narrator really had a voice to match the book. I also couldn't listen (and understand) on my usual faster speed (and I only speed up a little, 1.3), not sure if the diction/enunciation wasn't there (or my muddled mind at the moment). Peeking at other reviews on Audible, it seems I'm not the only one who struggled with the narration. As I had the Kindle copy too, I have skimmed some sections and think I would have been better off just reading this one. Then maybe I would have highlighted some portions, delved a little deeper in parts ... with audio, I was just pushing through and ready to be done.
No discussion questions included in the Kindle copy, but I Googled and found some online ... https://www.readinggroupguides.com/reviews/the-berry-pickers/guide
Reading over those, it did make me think a little more. It could have a decent discussion at a book club.
Profanity x12
Reading the blurb, I think the reader knows before even reading the first page, that the missing girl Ruthie, is the young girl Norma (even if she doesn't realize it herself). Even without the blurb, it's pretty obvious, not an "unexpected twist" or anything. Even the prologue ... "Joe, there's someone here to see us..." we all know what's coming from the start. That Ruthie is raised by another family, and that it isn't discovered for years until this final reuniting so many years later.
The prologue is 1st person/present tense - Joe's POV. Then it shifts to the chapters (17 of them) alternating between Joe and Norma, 1st person in each POV/past tense ... both told as an older person recalling their younger years. I'm one who doesn't like to see a preview of what's coming, I don't want spoilers ... so this all felt a little spoiled from the start. Just filling in the details of what I already knew the ending of.
I went primarily with the audio ... and that might have been a mistake. Neither narrator really had a voice to match the book. I also couldn't listen (and understand) on my usual faster speed (and I only speed up a little, 1.3), not sure if the diction/enunciation wasn't there (or my muddled mind at the moment). Peeking at other reviews on Audible, it seems I'm not the only one who struggled with the narration. As I had the Kindle copy too, I have skimmed some sections and think I would have been better off just reading this one. Then maybe I would have highlighted some portions, delved a little deeper in parts ... with audio, I was just pushing through and ready to be done.
No discussion questions included in the Kindle copy, but I Googled and found some online ... https://www.readinggroupguides.com/reviews/the-berry-pickers/guide
Reading over those, it did make me think a little more. It could have a decent discussion at a book club.
Profanity x12