Rating: 
Summary: bronwyn author of "if The Price is Right"
Review: I purchased this book because it was a #1 best seller in my local grocery store, and I liked the synopsis. What criteria is used to determine why a book is rated a #1? The novel had great promise.....good vs evil, our savior vs our destructor, the end of the world or the beginning of hope for mankind? However, it was just too unrealistic, and the "female" savior theme just didn't fly? I too have read Patterson's novel with the Alex Cross character, and I liked those much better. The novel was good enough to read, but not good enough to be a #1 best seller!
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible
Review: This is my first James Patterson novel and probably my last if the rest of his stuff is like this!!! I found it to be very disturbing. Obviously, this man can not possibly be a Catholic-Priests lusting after nuns, priests lusting after young girls and boys, nuns lusting after priests....just gross! Do yourself a big favor and skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I thought the book was badly written, as if someone forgot to go back over it, except briefly, to make sure it all works. What happened to the editors? I liked the supernatural element to the mystery and have always found the good v. evil myth behind it interesting but was very disappointed with all the holes in the story and some of the scenes just did not make sense and weren't necessary. The book was too short to do the story justice. If the author had taken the time to explain things more, it really would have been great. it was the sense of sloppiness that was disappointing. I must agree with another reviewer that while I really loved "Along came a Spider" many of the later Patterson books have been disappointing in some regard.
Rating:
Summary: Sad
Review: I hope (and think) most Catholics don't think along the lines of this book. Why on earth would me need another Messiah if Jesus had done the job? I don't know anything about Fatima, but I quickly wearied of the whole female Godhead theme in this book. Apparently, Jesus wasn't good enough, and Mary was the real God, thus the need for *another* female messiah in the year 2000. I don't have some macho pride because Jesus was male, that's just the way it was. I had nothing to do with God's choice of gender for the Messiah, nor did anybody else, so what's the big deal? Anyway, this book at times seemed blasphemous and mixed religious imagery in with distasteful descriptions of sexual violence. Of, of course, there's the typical portrayal of priests being vile, lewd, cruel, or at least carnal and suffering no consequences, keeping their jobs. What's with this talk about a priest going to hell for simply being involved in battling the Devil? Last time I checked, fighting against evil or sin didn't cause you to go to hell. The female lead in this book was typically wooden, and the plot twist making her the real virgin was absurd. Also, what's with the reviewers here who write a book report style summary before providing their comments? Finally, what's with the 1-2 page chapters? That seems like a cheap way to drive up the price of a hardcover. Speaking of which, I threw my hardcover copy in the trash at the airport, becasue I didn't want anybody else subject to the twisted ideals in the story.
Rating:
Summary: What a Waste of Time!
Review: I bought this book in the airport because the cover blurb looked intriguing and it was thick enough (I thought) to cover a seven-hour flight. Two hours later (the book is printed with big type and wide margins, and is much less than it appears) I was shaking my head in shock that such a silly book had made it into print. This book has a ridiculous plot, characters that bear no resemblance to any living persons, so many obvious loose ends the author should be ashamed of himself, a bizarrely unexpected and unconvincing "surprise ending" and really REALLY pedestrian writing. If you are Catholic, you may find this book actually offensive - not to give the plot away, but some major "artistic liberties" are taken in using issues such as the miracle at Fatima, the workings of the Vatican, exorcism, and the meaning of "virgin birth" as plot devices. Then again, maybe it was a mercy that the book did not occupy seven hours of my in-flight time; the Air France in-flight magazine was a far more worthwhile read.
Rating: 
Summary: Will keep you turning pages
Review: I just finished reading Cradle and All and thought it was a very good book. not as good as some of the James Patterson books, but it kept me turning pages to see what was going to happen next.
Rating:
Summary: Skip this one!
Review: Every book I read I rate one through 5. I gave this book a one. I can say, easily, that I am not the biggest Patterson fan but I do admit, the man can write. This book however, is not worthy of him. The first book I read by Patters was Black Market and I enjoyed it up until the end when I saw holes. Well, Again!. The book was easy to put down, easy to dismiss. I so tried to get into is book on a higher level but i just didn't feel the pull from the pages. There was no hook and some of the tricks of the trade went on too long. Specifically, the issues of what happen as "the point" the young girl and guy went to. A lot of question are out there with this novel. Why would Kathleen, pregnant as ever, walk down a rocky slop to see a car crash? Why would the police let her do this? Why would the fire department let her do so? And if this I a winding road, where were the on lookers standing. In one chapter, three cars speed from Kathleens house to whisk the young virgin away. One character is worried that the cars speed and jerky movements may cause the girl to go into labor, yet, in the chapter before this, the virgin had fallen down some stairs and nothing was mentioned about her health.. What of all the deaths too? The Plague. What did the young mother from Ireland do after her baby was taken from her? I don't ask this questions like there were cliffhangers. I ask why so many holes are left out. This book needs a new ending. Better still, skip it.
Rating:
Summary: Lackluster if that
Review: As a big fan of Alex Cross and Patterson's mysteries, I picked this one up with great anticipation. I was sorely disappointed. This clearly reads as a work that Patterson wrote very early in his career. As I described it to my husband, "Don't bother - Nothing happens - there are supposedly two virgins bearing the child of god and the child of satan - one has the child of satan, the other turns out to be the victim of a crime, and then (surprise!) there is a third virgin. And she has the daughter of god...." I kept waiting for the horrific scientific explanation, or ACTUAL conflict to ensue between good and evil. Or for the characters to do something that made them likable and interesting. Alas, I made it to the end of the book by sheer perserverance, and was never satisfied.
Rating:
Summary: Almost great
Review: Cradle and All is a book that I didn't expect from James Patterson. I have read almost all of his previous works and this book is in no way connected in any nature. It's almost inspirational. It leaves you in awe at times. The first 100 pages were the best 100 pages I have ever read. But it slowly changed into a rather boring story. There is way too much detail that is not needed. But nevertheless, this was a good book. Even though it was a bit of a drag at times, it somehow kept you interested. The ending is in a category of it's own though. I don't have words for it. Very odd and intriguing is all that I can come up with. It did leave room for a sequel and I would definitely check it out. But this is far from Patterson's best book. Overall, Cradle and All is a good book with way too much filler. But still it works and is a good, decent read. 4 Stars
Rating:
Summary: No typical Patterson
Review: I'm a big fan of James Patterson and his Alex Cross, and I was sorely disappointed by this book. I'm surprised it's not stocked in the religious section instead of fiction. Don't waste your time unless you like books like "Left Behind".
|
