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Title: Edward's Eyes
ISBN: 1416927433
Author:
Patricia MacLachlan
Publicate Date: 2007-08-28
Publish: 2007-08-28
List Price: $15.99
Average Customer Rating: 3.5
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $3.43
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $1.64
Amazon Merchant Price: $11.67
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Monotonous voice performance.... Spoiler. below.....
This is a short book and therefore a short audio book, only about an hour and a half. So with that in mind it was a surprise to me how long it seemed to take to get to the point. We have listened to much longer audio books that have seemed to just fly by... not this one. Yes, the story is sweet, and gentle, and sad but it also isn't very interesting.
The narrator of this book is Milo Ventimiglia. He does have a very nice voice, and when I have watched his acting performances in shows such as Heroes I have never thought of him as wooden, but the flat, monotonous voice he uses for this book is quite perplexing. There was a moment in the story which was quite sad, I found myself saying, " good grief! show some emotion", but the narrator continued to read as if he was giving an inventory of his sock drawer. The blame probably lies more with the director of the production rather than the narrator, but whatever the reason, the fact remains that this is a dreadful audio production, NOT recommended. save your money!
However, the reason I gave this book 2 stars instead of one is that it did help initiate a very moving conversation with my 10 year old about organ donation, a conversation which likely wouldn't have otherwise happened at this time.
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2: Dull
This is one of those books that only gets published because the author is well-known. I don't think a brand new author writing this would have gotten published. I found it dull, and not very well written. The author didn't work hard enough to make me care about the characters, so when the boy dies, it was no big deal. One minute he's alive, and in the next page he's dead. Not much detail. I listened to this on audiobook and the reader had a monotone voice. I skipped over some of the tracks because I found myself bored. I only finished it because it was an audiobook. If you don't like wasting your money, I wouldn't bother buying this one.
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3: Magical
My 10-year-old son, who is way into fantasy (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc.) was encouraged to read this book. He LOVED it and used the terms "beautiful" and "magical" to describe it. He even recommended that I read it so we could talk about it. I did, and also thought is was a magical book. This is a thought-provoking read to share with your children!
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4: Not sure it's appropriate for the age group 9-12
Well written. Enjoyed her writing style, but to tell you the truth at first I was confused by who was who. The reason I mention the appropriateness is because this book is ultimately about a death in the family. It's a tear jerker. I was bawling. It's not just about baseball. My son wouldn't be ready for this book. So, just something to consider if you're purchasing for your child.
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5: Book Review: Edward's Eyes
I have to be honest, I wasn't sure about this one. The cover, the blurb on the inside - it made me suspicious. I know that Patricia MacLachlan is a children's lit legend for a reason (you've heard of "Sarah, Plain and Tall" possibly?), but I still had reservations. Now, I'm not a fan of the whole "boy changes lives in a small town that seems to be lost in some idyllic yesteryear" - type story. I'm not naming names, I'm just sayin' that those types of tales aren't usually my cup of tea. I suspected that's what this one was. Sappy, corny, call it what you will. But I was wrong. With "Edward's Eyes" those labels don't stick. An emotional story well-executed.
The perspective of this tale is not provided by Edward, but rather by his older brother Jake. He's a protective older sibling, and has always known his little brother to be unique. He's more carefree, friendly, and wise than Jake will ever be. But Edward's most unique feature has to be his eyes. Edward's eyes can see a baseball better anyone in his clan, and he has the batting record to prove it: he's never stuck out. The boys are part of a big family, all the better for backyard games. When a new addition is made to the family, Edward is ready to take the child under his wing just like Jake did for him. But, just like a knuckleball, you never know where life is going to go. The unexpected sometimes happens.
MacLachlan has written a heartbreaking and sweet story that will stick with readers even after the reading is done. A quality fiction selection.
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