Sara Reyes | Get These Voices Out of My Head!
May 9, 2009
I was so excited this week, the latest Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire book
went on sale, and I got my hands on a copy finally on Friday. So after a nice
dinner with the family -- no reading at the table, sigh -- I was ready to drop
all work and settle down for a nice couple of hours of reading enjoyment. Oh,
yeah! Everyone knew to leave me alone, it was just me and Sookie, and Bill,
maybe Quinn, definitely Eric. It was going to be great. Until...
OMG, get Anna Paquin's whiny voice out of my head! And while you're at it take
her stringy little ponytail and the gap between her teeth, too. She's too perky
for my Sookie. EEEEG. this is so-not-a-good thing! See, I'm one of those who
after hearing someone (thing) read a story will forever hear the voice in my
head when I read it myself. And mostly it is NOT A GOOD THING. Yeah, I'm
shouting. The previous phrase is to be read with much emphasis. Seriously, I do
not listen to any audio books I may later read, except for Jim Dale and Harry
Potter. Other people connect with the HP movies. Me, not-so-much. I always hear
Jim Dale doing all the voices. Thankfully the producers were smart enough to get
Alan Rickman as Snape because that is JUST the way Jim Dale voiced him in the
audios. Love Jim Dale. So the Harry Potter books are an exception, but others,
sigh, I'm sorry to say, I can't mix and match audiobooks with 'real' books. A friend was saying just the other day she found the Sookie books slow going. I
was amazed, appalled and dumbfounded. The pace is very lively in Charlaine
Harris's books. I mean, perhaps outlandish but definitely not dragging. Then I
found out she hasn't really "read" them, she's listening on audio at the gym and
the reader has a horrid accent. Keeps pulling her out of the story and she
really hopes Bill goes away (she's in the middle of book three, no spoilers
please). She started to 'read' the books after watching and enjoying the HBO
series on Hulu.com And that is another whole blog in itself. But she really
couldn't get the charm of the books. The rest of us were CH fanatics and thought
T was just not 'getting it.' But since our book club is a no-judge-zone, we all
smiled nicely and let the conversation move on. But the conversation came back to haunt me last night when I got to chapter
three and realized Anna Paquin had invaded my book. I mean, I'm sure she is a
very nice person, a great actress, but she is NOT my Sookie Stackhouse. I
tolerated her through half of the season on HBO and then gave up. The episodes
are still on the TiVo but I simply don't have time to watch them. Or more
honestly, it's not too high on my priority list. But her voice was in my head
and interfering with my read of DEAD AND GONE.
Instead of MY Sookie, I was hearing Anna Paquin's Sookie and worse, seeing her!
Oh, the agony. I stopped enjoying the story line and just got caught up in
critiquing how Anna Paquin would look in the bikini, would the FBI guy be ogling
Anna Paquin's breasts? Oh, shake it off, shake it off. So, I guess, am I the only one who has this problem? Are the voices okay for the
rest of you? Not that it really matters, after all everyone reads on their own
and I've got other books to get into but seriously, I'm still a bit miffed. Sigh. Until next time...
Get out there and READ a
book...
Sara Reyes
DFW Tea Readers Group
Join us at Readers 'n 'ritas November
13-15, 2009! Comment and you'll be
entered int our
weekend contest. Win cool books! Check out the bag full of SIGNED books we
bought at the Hurst Barnes & Noble! You could be a winner!!! Authors include:
Amie Stuart,
Candace Havens,
Celya Bowers,
Cindy Dees,
Jax Cassidy,
Jillian Burns,
Karen Whiddon, and
Karen Kelley.
Comments
21 comments posted.
Re: Sara Reyes | Get These Voices Out of My Head!
Sara, that is so funny! I refuse to watch any movies to do with a book that I will read solely because of that! I hate when I have a thought of a character and it gets all ruined by some actor that so isn't my idea of who the character really is...I won't listen to an audio book for the same reason! So glad that I am not the only one! Have a wonderful day! (Sharla Long 10:14am May 9, 2009)
I actually haven't had this problem. Sure, I hear the voices of the characters when I read, but I haven't been disappointed with actor portrayals in film or television versions of my favorite books. (Margay Roberge 10:25am May 9, 2009)
Guess I'm lucky I havent' seen True Blood yet. I was able to read Dead and Gone peacefully, with Sookie's own voice in my head. Great book. Charlaine Harris's series just keeps getting better and better. More, please! (G S Moch 10:55am May 9, 2009)
I am a huge fan of the Sookie Stackhouse books! I haven't seen the True Blood series in full, but have been catching them bit by bit on HBO...I love the series of books and cannot wait to read the new one! I also tend to hear the character's voices while reading.....strange, isn't it? (Paula Staton 11:04am May 9, 2009)
I'm about to read this book as I just got it myself. I've not had this problem with actor's voices. I don't listen to audio books as I prefer to just read. I agree with you on Anna's voice in True Blood, I think she lays the southern accent on too thick. I'm here in Texas and if I noticed the southern accent is too strong, that's saying something.
I hope you can get Anna's voice out your head so you can enjoy the book. The Sookie Stackhouse series are one of my favorites also. (Donna Locklin 11:14am May 9, 2009)
I actually don't have too much of a problem with Paquin. At times she seems to lay the Southern accent on a bit more than necessary, but she doesn't invade my reading of the book.
No matter what though, I adore this series and am excited to start reading this. Just gotta finish up Lover Avenged first. (Jody Faltys 11:29am May 9, 2009)
I love True Blood and I like Anna Panquin as an actress, but I have to agree with you, she just doesn't cut it as the character Sookie was meant to be portrayed in the book....Where else do you see the casting directors got it totally wrong??? Do believe the writers from the books/screenplays should have some creative input so the Characters are kept intact? I think this is why we leave cinemas saying, the book was SO much better! Comments? (Michele Molesky 11:54am May 9, 2009)
I haven't read the books yet, it's my next series I want to start. So all I know is Anna P. in the Sookie role. (Vikki Parman 12:00pm May 9, 2009)
Hey we all have voices in our heads from time to time, but we don't always listen to them. I enjoy movies made from books but the books are usualy better then the movies. I haven't read this series but I think I would enjoy it. (Gail Hurt 12:02pm May 9, 2009)
I also associate voices with certain works; Alexander Scoursby for The National Geographic, Edward Hermann for the History channel, Mr. Scoursby has passed but I fondly recall him 'leading through the darkest part of Africa' in narration. I appreciated a distinguished voice commenting on some of televisions best offerings. (Dawn Raymer 1:16pm May 9, 2009)
I didn't get past episode 3 of True Blood so hopefully, I won't be too messed up when I read Dead and Gone. I never seem to connect with favorite series that have gone to TV. (Robin Greene 5:57pm May 9, 2009)
Sara I had the same problem!! I think this is why I can't read a book after it's been made into a movie--I've never read Harry Potter! :( (Amie Stuart 7:20pm May 9, 2009)
I admit, I have not read Charlaine Harris's books, but to my shame, after watching True Blood, I had no interest! Thank you Sara for enlightening me! I forget how the TV/Movie industry can affect our opinions! (Susan Galley 10:07pm May 9, 2009)
Agree with you about the Harry Potter audio books. Dale is wonderful. Another one that worked well was the audio version of Nora Roberts' Morigan's Cross trilogy. I read the books and about a year later listen to the audio version. I actually enjoyed the audio version more. There are a few other that match the characters well. However, in most cases, the movie or audio don't fit my picture of who the characters are. Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code just doesn't work. I like him as an actor, but my picture of that character was nowhere near Tom Hanks. I'm just starting Angels and Demons and am curious how his image will intrude into the story. (Patricia Barraclough 11:14pm May 9, 2009)
I loooove the True Blood series on HBO, but I have never read the CH books. I'm afraid to now because I love Bill and I hear he becomes less present in the books. I cannot deal with that. Wish I could have been at two signings at once but I really wanted the Jo Davis book and so far it is HOT! (Summer Sharp 11:23pm May 9, 2009)
The voice in my head tell me that my Sony Book Reader is ordering me to buy more books! I will give up going out for dinner, but I will not give up my books! (Mari M. 10:29pm May 11, 2009)
I can't get rid of the voices in my head. But I've come to really love them and would be lost without them. (Bridget Hopper 6:30pm May 12, 2009)
Hi Sara! That's funny because sometimes the voices do intrude, for instance we listened to LKH on audio, but she did a wonderful job so I am good with that one. I just got my copy od Dead and Gone and I sure hope that doesn't happen, I like Anna and the show, which looks to be even better this season. It's just I started with the books years ago and after meeting Charlaine Harris, well I hear her voice reading it to me. I treasure that. :) So good luck with it and I hope I still hear Charlaines voice! By the way the books are "I can not put them down"!! They move very quickly and when you get done you are like where is the next one!! Happy raeding! (Chris Jones 4:48am May 13, 2009)
You are a funny woman...ha ha funny. (Patsy Hagen 2:08pm May 19, 2009)
I must confess that I am a dinosaur having never listened to a audiobook. However I can identify with your disappointment comparing two different medias. Mine is compaing books and movies. The BEST I have ever seen was "The Great Gatsby" which was a PERFECT portrayal and the WORST was Ian Flemmings Bond books. After reading the books I realized the only similairities were titles, character names, and locations but the storylines weren't even similar. Poetic licence could not even excuse the disappoint I felt. (Susan Lathen 2:11am May 29, 2009)
Hey Sara, I refuse to see a movie that was from a book that I read unless it has been years since I read it. I'm always disappointed in the movie. I saw one episode of True Blood and refused to watch any more. Like you I had my picture of Sookie, Eric & Bill in my head and these actors on True Blood WERE NOT IT. Maybe in 6 or 10 years after the Sookie books are done I'll give it a chance but my imagination has Hollywood beat all to hell. There was one book that I liked the movie better"Cold Mountain", but the only one. (Lisa Richards 7:30pm October 28, 2009)
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