Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Good but nothing pushed it over the top. All the pieces weaving together at the end was very satisfying even if Frankie is the worst.
Great Fun.
The story contains fantastical elements (it is a story about a family of psychics) but does not read like a Fantasy novel, but just a great book about a family.
It is charming, funny, touching. I couldn't put it down.
The story contains fantastical elements (it is a story about a family of psychics) but does not read like a Fantasy novel, but just a great book about a family.
It is charming, funny, touching. I couldn't put it down.
From an audible recommend June 1, 2017:
"I admit it – in my mind, Ari Fliakos can do no wrong. After listening to him perform The Nix in 2016 I knew I was completely obsessed with his voice. Enter his latest endeavor, Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory – a story about a family of psychics – and I knew I had to give it a listen. Spoonbenders follows The Incredible Telemachus family, a family of psychics (well, some of them at least) who in their heyday wowed audiences with feats of telekinesis, mindreading, and the ability to predict the future. But after one fateful and career-ruining television appearance, the future of this family became anything but predictable. Sprinkle in secret governmental agencies, a Chicago mob, a teenage boy discovering, um, himself, and you have a surprisingly relatable, genuine, and hilarious multi-generational saga." -- Laura, Audible Editor
Very much enjoyed the audible version of this book read by the same narrator as The Nix. Such a fun alternative to All Things Cease to Appear. Great characters and I love how they progressed and changed throughout. My favorite was probably Buddy with his power to float through time - forward and backward all the same. I love the feeling that gives his chapters- even though it'd be stressful to live it. Also, "he remembered doing xyz and that's why he did it." Definitely though he was gonna die. Irene with her ability to tell if someone was lying. And he way the timing of the novel (just as AOL becomes a thing) allows her to meet and fall in love with Joshua. Frankie with his ability to manipulate small bits of metal - pinballs, the sensor at his work, a bullet. I And, of course, Grandma Maureen and Matt Telemachus being able to leave their bodies and go flying as far as they please to be in other places anywhere in the world. (Though young Matty's power requires a bit of aid in the form of masturbation or pot.) I love that Teddy is the only one of all of them that doesn't have a power - he's just a regular run-of-the-mill trickster con man. And a good one at that. His love story with Grandma Mo is beautiful.
I really liked the big event this built up to "zap day" and the way Buddy prepared for it was very reminiscent of A Prayer for Owen Meany. Everything in its place. This preparing for that. Protecting the children. Thinking of all the details.
This book made me feel light - not that it was a super light read just that it had a lightness to it. Had fun. Was entertaining.
"I admit it – in my mind, Ari Fliakos can do no wrong. After listening to him perform The Nix in 2016 I knew I was completely obsessed with his voice. Enter his latest endeavor, Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory – a story about a family of psychics – and I knew I had to give it a listen. Spoonbenders follows The Incredible Telemachus family, a family of psychics (well, some of them at least) who in their heyday wowed audiences with feats of telekinesis, mindreading, and the ability to predict the future. But after one fateful and career-ruining television appearance, the future of this family became anything but predictable. Sprinkle in secret governmental agencies, a Chicago mob, a teenage boy discovering, um, himself, and you have a surprisingly relatable, genuine, and hilarious multi-generational saga." -- Laura, Audible Editor
Very much enjoyed the audible version of this book read by the same narrator as The Nix. Such a fun alternative to All Things Cease to Appear. Great characters and I love how they progressed and changed throughout. My favorite was probably Buddy with his power to float through time - forward and backward all the same. I love the feeling that gives his chapters- even though it'd be stressful to live it. Also, "he remembered doing xyz and that's why he did it." Definitely though he was gonna die. Irene with her ability to tell if someone was lying. And he way the timing of the novel (just as AOL becomes a thing) allows her to meet and fall in love with Joshua. Frankie with his ability to manipulate small bits of metal - pinballs, the sensor at his work, a bullet. I And, of course, Grandma Maureen and Matt Telemachus being able to leave their bodies and go flying as far as they please to be in other places anywhere in the world. (Though young Matty's power requires a bit of aid in the form of masturbation or pot.) I love that Teddy is the only one of all of them that doesn't have a power - he's just a regular run-of-the-mill trickster con man. And a good one at that. His love story with Grandma Mo is beautiful.
I really liked the big event this built up to "zap day" and the way Buddy prepared for it was very reminiscent of A Prayer for Owen Meany. Everything in its place. This preparing for that. Protecting the children. Thinking of all the details.
This book made me feel light - not that it was a super light read just that it had a lightness to it. Had fun. Was entertaining.
Spoonbenders was good, but not as put-down-able as I had hoped it would be. I’m not sure if I’m just not in the reading mood lately (life has been so crazy busy between end-of-year school concerts, doc and ortho appts, Christmas preparation, shopping, and planning, etc etc etc) that I find myself struggling to want to pick up a book. I loved the concept of the story, but I’m not sure the author pulled it off. To be honest, for the majority of the book, I wondered if the family truly had any psychic abilities or if they were all just delusional about their abilities. Anyway, this one was just so-so for me.
Great characters, interesting dialog, compelling plot line. Fun read.
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
SPOONBENDERS is one of those books you never want to finish because you're enjoying it so much, yet at the same time you're tempted to rush through it just to find out what's going to happen to this dysfunctional, endearing family in the end.
The story is set in Chicago (which I did not know when I added it to my list), so I was amused by many of the nods to local sights and native quirks. The one exception is the Mob; it figures prominently in the plot and is a well-worn trope in this region. But even though gangsters drive the action, they don't overshadow the real story—how this gifted family is learning to navigate their post-fame reality, one where they take their punches (literal and figurative) and hope that everything's going to work out. Cause even if it doesn't, they can still count on each other.
The story is set in Chicago (which I did not know when I added it to my list), so I was amused by many of the nods to local sights and native quirks. The one exception is the Mob; it figures prominently in the plot and is a well-worn trope in this region. But even though gangsters drive the action, they don't overshadow the real story—how this gifted family is learning to navigate their post-fame reality, one where they take their punches (literal and figurative) and hope that everything's going to work out. Cause even if it doesn't, they can still count on each other.
This was a fun romp of a book. Great characters, mob entanglement and possibly some psychic powers. The narrator for the audio did a very good Chicago accent too.