Rating:  Summary: Major Disappointment Review: I've been a long time fan of Nevada Barr's writing, especially the Anna Pigeon series. However, with this last novel, I've come to the sad conclusion that the series is running out of steam. Anna seems tired. Much of this latest novel is descriptive material rather than action. I learned more about Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty than I ever wanted to know, and I'm one of those immigrants that passed through Ellis! I do not recommend this book. To those who are first time readers of the series, I would urge you to read the first several books - those are outstanding! Also, a question aimed at those who are Anna Pigeon fans: what happened to the characters Christina Walters and her daughter, Alison? They were favorites of mine, but after the first couple of novels, they somehow disappeared. What happened to them?
Rating:  Summary: NEGITIVE TEN Review: I don't know how such a dull, boring book could get published. Don't waste your money or time. This was my first N.Barr and it will be my last. If you want good murder mysterys read any of James Lee Burke!
Rating:  Summary: The descriptions of interpersonal relationships are great!!! Review: Anna is a complex and interesting woman. She goes into the forbidden, overcoming her fear, ingrossed in chasing the mystery. Regardless of the environment, Anna's love for nature comes through. A fish out of water in NYC, Anna still finds excitement. The plot twists and characters in each story are fascinating! Nevada Barr has moved into the top five of my favorite authors list, joining a very diverse group. Love 'em, Nevada, keep 'em coming. I miss Anna when I'm not in the middle of one of her adventures. Pleasurable reading.
Rating:  Summary: I liked the book, but please return Anna to the wilderness! Review: I thought it was an interesting turn in the Anna Pigeon series for the story to take place in New York City, since all the other stories took place in more scenic, picturesque places like Mesa Verde and Isle Royale. Nevada Barr delivers a very puzzling murder mystery that will leave you guessing up to the very end. Not as good as Blind Descent, but a good book nontheless. I have but two requests for the next installment: 1. True to the series, Anna gets beat up pretty bad in this book; just once I'd like to see her deliver the whooping to the bad guy! 2. PLEASE RETURN ANNA TO THE WILDERNESS! How about a murder mystery at Devil's Tower, Yellowstone, or the Great Sand Dunes?
Rating:  Summary: Nevada Barr turns in another winner! Review: Nevada Barr is one of the most exciting mystery writers today, and Liberty Falling is another winner featuring Anna Pigeon, park ranger and sleuth. The writing is exquisite, observations unique, the protagonist one of the most interesting and real around. Although the New York setting is a divergence from Barr's previous outdoor venues, it works well, and takes Anna back to some painful memories of her previous life in the city. The relationship with her sister is also well done and believable, as is the mystery which centers on the Statue of Liberty. A great summer read, leaving us wanting more and more.
Rating:  Summary: An intelligent, fast-paced mystery. Review: I love Nevada Barr's books and this one doesn't disappoint even though it's setting is New York and not Mesa Verde. We get to know Anna Pigeon a little more in each book and she's more sympathetic than usual in this one. There are multiple plots going on that all weave together in the end and I couldn't put it down.
Rating:  Summary: WONDERFUL Review: Whether the setting is Mesa Verde, west Texas, a forest fire, in a cave or as in the case of Liberty Falling, New York City, Nevada Barr writes a great mystery. Anna Pigeon is such a beautifully crafted character.....independent, opinionated, tenacious and so "real" that I continually have to remind myself she's a fictional character. Liberty Falling is a wonderful book in a fantastic series that I hope goes on for a long time to come.
Rating:  Summary: A disappointing read. Review: I really enjoyed the first several books in this series, but I find this one too bound up in the relationships between Anna, her sister Molly, and Frederick, the erstwhile FBI agent who has had relationships with both women. The story, overplotted with material pertaining to Anna's personal life, moves so slowly as to be nearly stalled for the first half of the book. I'm afraid this series is spiraling into mediocrity. That's too bad, as the first several books were entertaining reads. This one, however, wasn't.
Rating:  Summary: Nevada Barr does it again with a tight, quirky read. Review: Nevada Barr's "Anna Pigeon" brings us to Ellis Island in NYC. Like the skillful ranger she is, she introduces us to the park in a way that we can appreciate its history without feeling we are on a packaged tour. It is also the perfect setting for the mystery of suspicious deaths and strange occurrences. The quirkiness of her characters, especially Anna, is a welcome change from so many mysteries. Let's hope Ms. Barr brings us to many, many more National Parks in the future. A most enjoyable, satisfying read !
Rating:  Summary: NOT UP TO STANDARD Review: Just finished Liberty Falling. It was not the usual quality I expect of Nevada Barr. I grant that is a high expectation, but that is why I read her books. This story struck me as contrived. Why is she in New York? Sister is very ill, but she doesn't spend much of the book dealing with Sister or illness. Frederick the Fed does that. He kind of drifts in and out of the story; definitely there, but not really contributing to it. As a Nevada Barr book, this has to be her poorest effort. A good read, but not what I have come to expect. I hope Anna gets back out to wide open places where she can be herself. New York apparantly was not the place for her.
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