A Sight for Sore Eyes

By: Ruth Rendell

Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin

Having published 45 books, Ruth Rendell is an internationally popular mystery writer. She has won four Gold Dagger and three Edgar awards. She has been presented with the Commander of the British Empire honor, and named Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. In A Sight For Sore Eyes, Ruth Rendell’s exceptional literary talent shines from each word. Teddy Brex is a handsome young man. Raised by parents who never loved him, he has grown to put his trust in objects. Things rarely disappoint him the way people do. Francine Hill is a lovely sight. And, like Teddy, she carries deep psychological scars. What brings these two young people together, however, isn’t beauty. It is death. As Ruth Rendell probes the dark forces childhood has created in Teddy’s and Francine’s lives, an emotionally gripping story unfolds. Narrator Jenny Sterlin voices all the subtle layers of suspense that are the hallmark of Rendell’s incomparable work.

©1998 Kingsmarkham Enterprises (P)1999 Recorded Books, LLC

Gets you hooked right off

I was so interested and drawn into Teddy's pschy. Being an artist I am sympathetic to his dislike for ugliness. It is chilling when the sympathy and understanding turns into pity and then disgust. It is a very good writer/performer that can make you feel so in tune like that. All in all, it seemed pretty believable to me the way ones enviroment can shape their future self.
I agree with one of the other reviewers about the ending, I liked it, but it was somewhat off...maybe just cut short a bit? Somehow It was a tad lazy or lacking, after the build up to it. If not for that, this could be a 5 start book, for me.

Interesting Book

This is a well written, well narrated book. I'd have given the story a 5 but the ending missed slightly for me. If you are looking for something different, read this one.

I love how Ruth Rendell develops her stories

This is one of her non-Wexford psychological stories that I've read several times, and listened to at least twice. It is delicious to see how the broken characters, who Rendell paints so carefully in the first half of the book, come together and lead to inevitable tragedy. It's the effect of watching a train crash in slow motion, knowing that there is nothing that can stop the crash, but recognizing the human failings that led to all the steps that brought about the downfall.

What an interesting read!

Never knew it would end that way! Haven't read one that twisting and turning in a while!

Reader emits noises that are distracting

It's unkind, but whether it's a result of a dry mouth or popping sinuses, there are noises associated with the reader's voice that are terribly distracting. These noises combined with her strange interpretation of many characters' voices make it difficult to listen to this recording. This is a very enjoyable R. Rendell book, but the reader definitely detracts.