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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
It’s not free on audible anymore and I didn’t enjoy it enough to actually buy it
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Orphan Beth Harmon discovers two escapes from her bleak surroundings: chess and tranquilizers. One opens her mind; the other numbs it. She climbs the US chess rankings with the kind of cold, methodical brilliance that should be fascinating—but somehow isn’t. Her story is less about the excitement of the game and more about her ongoing tug-of-war with addiction and isolation.
It’s well-written, sure, but also surprisingly boring. The emotion never really hits, and even the high-stakes matches feel like they’re being told from a distance. Beth's rise and near-fall should be interesting, but the book holds everything at arm's length.
On the bright side, Amy Landon’s narration in the audiobook is sharp and steady—arguably more compelling than the story itself.
It’s well-written, sure, but also surprisingly boring. The emotion never really hits, and even the high-stakes matches feel like they’re being told from a distance. Beth's rise and near-fall should be interesting, but the book holds everything at arm's length.
On the bright side, Amy Landon’s narration in the audiobook is sharp and steady—arguably more compelling than the story itself.