Snake Charmers

Rating:
Summary: Not even "good" trash! This stinks on all levels.
Review: Can I have my money back?

Supposedly a roman a clef about events in "San Francisco society," this amateur effort seriously disappoints on all levels. It makes for ponderous, annoying reading.

Not only is the book poorly written, it is badly edited and sloppily produced. Typos abound, syntax and grammar are abominable, and the story makes no sense.

The author and the misguided publisher owe all readers an apology, not to mention a refund.

Rating:
Summary: I Bought FIVE Copies!!
Review: I bought the book upon Dan Beck's recommendation in his "Nob Hill Gazette" review. While I agree with the other reviewer at amazon.com that the proof reading could be better - the story was great!

I must admit I'm an Aaron Spelling junkie and I just loved "Dallas" and "Dynasty." So a story about those types of people is something I find fun.

I really found the book enjoyable. I'm surprised that the other review was so vitriolic - could it be he's a character? I noticed the "San Francisco" location. Anyway for us "mature" ladies - I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! This Controversy Is Fascinating!
Review: I liked the book. It isn't one of the great works of literature. But it was fun and mindless. It's sort of like a dark Nora Roberts or Danielle Steel. "Bridges of Madison County" comes to mind - and that was panned by most critics too, but I loved the book. Men seem to hate this book but women like it. I don't think I've ever seen a man read Nora Roberts. Maybe it's a thing that has something to do with age and gender.

I've never written a review before, but I just had to considering the extreme views of the other reviewers. I find the love/hate thing an indication that the book causes a great deal of feeling. Isn't that what reading something is suppose to do? I thought it was light reading, maybe it says more than I gave it credit for.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! This Controversy Is Fascinating!
Review: I liked the book. It isn't one of the great works of literature. But it was fun and mindless. It's sort of like a dark Nora Roberts or Danielle Steel. "Bridges of Madison County" comes to mind - and that was panned by most critics too, but I loved the book. Men seem to hate this book but women like it. I don't think I've ever seen a man read Nora Roberts. Maybe it's a thing that has something to do with age and gender.

I've never written a review before, but I just had to considering the extreme views of the other reviewers. I find the love/hate thing an indication that the book causes a great deal of feeling. Isn't that what reading something is suppose to do? I thought it was light reading, maybe it says more than I gave it credit for.

Rating:
Summary: Waste of money...
Review: I wish I could return this book... Absolute waste of time and money... Buy something else or keep your money... Amazon needs a 0 star rating for books like this.

Rating:
Summary: Waste of money...
Review: I wish I could return this book... Absolute waste of time and money... Buy something else or keep your money... Amazon needs a 0 star rating for books like this.

Rating:
Summary: I Bought FIVE Copies!!
Review: That's right! I'm a real estate broker in San Francisco and I bought 5 (count 'em - 5!) copies which I gave to friends and coworkers.

Why? I liked the book, but I'm also pretty sure I had an encounter with the "hero!" I tried to explain what happened to other people at the office, but no one would believe me. The story was just too fantastic. Ms. Mattingly does a wonderful job of putting an extremely complex story into an understandable manner. I think the use of a narrator helps tie the whole thing together.

It's a wonderful thing to be able to find out how these con-artists can make you feel as if everything is your own fault. I recommend the book highly! If nothing else just to warn ourselves against people like this.