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" This book is absurd, exquisite and hilarious. That is all. "
- Sadie, 2/11/2014
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" Very postmodern, life imitating art imitating life. One is not too entirety trusting of the "author"'s version of events, where a demonic charismatic, figure dominates the lives of some unsuspecting fools. Laughable farce. "
- Jessie, 1/25/2014
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" This is an enjoyable book, but it feels slight. It's short, and kind of a comedy, so it's not the kind of book you can really get your teeth into, but one where you can feel like the writer is having fun with the book and with the reader. "
- Roko, 1/15/2014
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" When this came up in my recommendations I realised I had already read it some years ago. Classic book- much of the meaning probably lost on me. Must read again "
- Mary, 1/13/2014
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" Recommended long ago by my older brother, Walter Wright. Great, funny, and revealing about Spark's relationship to the writing process (the sub-plot of this fictional, short novel). "
- Nora, 1/13/2014
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" My love for Muriel Spark's writing grows and grows. I love this book. It's witty, clever, suspenseful, and hilarious, all in a perfectly new way. "
- DL, 12/30/2013
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" Slooooow. The big drama was when the narrator's manuscript was stolen! But she stole it back! And then she got famous! "
- Daniel, 12/28/2013
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" We listened to this on tape; I might've liked it better if I'd read it. It was a bit hard to follow, as I recall, because of a plot-within-a-plot that gets strangely complicated. It also wasn't as funny as other Muriel Spark novels I'd read. "
- Preeta, 12/8/2013
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" A cross between Graham Greene and Philip K Dick, and written with more confidence and competence than either of them. "
- Ross, 11/11/2013
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" Again, thank you, Queen "
- Michael, 9/24/2013
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" Muy disfrutable y repleto de frases para resaltar. "
- LucÃa, 8/25/2013
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" I cannot pinpoint what it is I like about Muriel Spark's writing, but I do:complex characters who cannot be labeled; murky morality; wit and sarcasm intertwined...humor that is almost (but not quite) macabre. Brilliant. "
- Tina, 6/11/2013
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" once more, muriel spark makes me laugh really hard and then wonder if she's coming after me with an axe. not quite as good as The Driver's Seat, i don't think, but equally enjoyable (if more baffling). "
- Ben, 4/12/2013
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" I found myself thinking "Eh, so what?" through most of this book. The protagonist is a little to self-absorbed and lame for me to follow through hundreds of pages of boring. "
- Kate, 4/5/2013
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" One of my favorite books, at least of the Spark novels that I've read in the past few years. "
- Carla, 12/18/2011
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" Another great Muriel Spark novel. "
- John, 12/14/2011
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" I go back and forth between 3 and 4 stars....at times "brilliant" ran through my mind....at others I was confused enough to forget who exactly each character was...but could've been because I read on and off over a week or two. Great premise, though! Funny, wicked funny at times. "
- Terry, 11/21/2011
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" Interesting plot with a narrator who is not entirely likable, at least to me. She's a writer who takes a job with an eccentric businessman to archive the autobiographies of an array of Londoners. She's got a slightly inflated sense of self, which skews her description of the events. "
- Trishv, 10/9/2011
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" Delightful little book. Slightly uneven in its purpose, but solid panoply of vivid characters and narrative and use of dialogue. I enjoyed Spark's protagonist and her spunky voice. Not a grand book or one that shatters a convention, but one that succeeds in being a good read. "
- Aaron, 9/8/2011
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" This is a sly, witty book for writers who use the material around them--and it's all material. "
- Rosemary, 8/25/2011
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" So funny! The main character is a secretary for an autobiographical society, and she helps them invent and embellish the stories of their lives. Sparks is incredibly witty. A quick read and lots of fun. "
- Ashley, 5/28/2011
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" A story about a woman who writes a story that gets stolen and then people start living it without her permission. Strange and quirky. "
- Jenny, 5/26/2011
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" my first encounter with the shadow occurred after reading this book
"
- Willie, 5/6/2011
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" She just gets better and better.
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- Jacqueline, 2/2/2011
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" Interesting plot with a narrator who is not entirely likable, at least to me. She's a writer who takes a job with an eccentric businessman to archive the autobiographies of an array of Londoners. She's got a slightly inflated sense of self, which skews her description of the events.
"
- Trishv, 1/2/2011
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" This is an enjoyable book, but it feels slight. It's short, and kind of a comedy, so it's not the kind of book you can really get your teeth into, but one where you can feel like the writer is having fun with the book and with the reader.
"
- Roko, 10/10/2010
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" I read about this book in another book so I ordered it. It was OK - kind of funny - but not what I expected from this author because I had heard that The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was really good. Maybe I should have ordered that one instead.
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- Sonja, 10/16/2009
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" So funny! The main character is a secretary for an autobiographical society, and she helps them invent and embellish the stories of their lives. Sparks is incredibly witty. A quick read and lots of fun.
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- Ashley, 7/16/2009
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" Recommended long ago by my older brother, Walter Wright. Great, funny, and revealing about Spark's relationship to the writing process (the sub-plot of this fictional, short novel).
"
- Nora, 7/6/2009
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