Review of Pandora's Lockbox
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Lisa Grimaldi
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Review of Pandora's Lockbox
[Following is a volunteer review of "Pandora's Lockbox" by Nico Griffith.]
Pandora’s Lockbox by Nico Griffith is a delightfully entertaining set of stories based on the real-life trials and tribulations of this spectacularly successful real estate agent. Names, locations, and some circumstances have been changed to protect the crazy, the dim-witted, the unscrupulous, and the downright criminal. These stories are set in the 1980s and 1990s, when times were simpler and rules were more lax. Ms. Griffith tells her own stories as well as those of her real estate cohorts, "The Fabulous Five". These stories have something for everyone—action, adventure, love, romance, suspense, and yes, even murder. Griffith tells these stories with a love for real estate that is readily apparent and embraces just how chaotic and crazy that job can be. Readers will feel like they are at an exclusive dinner party with an inside look at all that is included in being a real estate agent during this period of time.
There are many things to love about this book. Griffith’s intimate style of writing quickly draws the reader into her world. I feel like I got to know her and her close friends well, and caring about the characters always makes a book more enjoyable. Real estate is full of lots of jargon that can overwhelm a good story, but Griffiths translates these terms into definitions that all readers will understand. You may not be able to pass a real estate exam, but you’ll understand enough to enjoy the story being told. I also enjoyed that Griffith did not make this book all about her. She shares stories of her co-workers with equal skill and entertainment. Also, this book has a very "warts and all" approach. Much like life itself, not everyone is always painted in the best light.
Honestly, there was nothing for me to dislike in this story, which surprised me. When Griffith started talking about being pretty, I wanted to dislike her. I just couldn’t. She tells a great story about being at her lowest point and deciding to sell real estate, then talks about how well she did. I just love a good "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" story.
Despite how much I enjoyed this book, it was not professionally edited. There were enough errors that they detracted from the quality of the book overall. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and the storytelling and found the general flow of the stories well-planned. For these reasons, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. A better edit would have placed it as a 5-star read.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy short vignettes that are extremely entertaining but not heavy on details. There are enough genres covered in the various stories to entertain a multitude of tastes. These are first of all human interest stories that happen to take place in the real estate world. Anyone can enjoy them and should give them a try. I hope the author does a continuation in a new book. I have a feeling she has many more stories to tell.
******
Pandora's Lockbox
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Pandora’s Lockbox by Nico Griffith is a delightfully entertaining set of stories based on the real-life trials and tribulations of this spectacularly successful real estate agent. Names, locations, and some circumstances have been changed to protect the crazy, the dim-witted, the unscrupulous, and the downright criminal. These stories are set in the 1980s and 1990s, when times were simpler and rules were more lax. Ms. Griffith tells her own stories as well as those of her real estate cohorts, "The Fabulous Five". These stories have something for everyone—action, adventure, love, romance, suspense, and yes, even murder. Griffith tells these stories with a love for real estate that is readily apparent and embraces just how chaotic and crazy that job can be. Readers will feel like they are at an exclusive dinner party with an inside look at all that is included in being a real estate agent during this period of time.
There are many things to love about this book. Griffith’s intimate style of writing quickly draws the reader into her world. I feel like I got to know her and her close friends well, and caring about the characters always makes a book more enjoyable. Real estate is full of lots of jargon that can overwhelm a good story, but Griffiths translates these terms into definitions that all readers will understand. You may not be able to pass a real estate exam, but you’ll understand enough to enjoy the story being told. I also enjoyed that Griffith did not make this book all about her. She shares stories of her co-workers with equal skill and entertainment. Also, this book has a very "warts and all" approach. Much like life itself, not everyone is always painted in the best light.
Honestly, there was nothing for me to dislike in this story, which surprised me. When Griffith started talking about being pretty, I wanted to dislike her. I just couldn’t. She tells a great story about being at her lowest point and deciding to sell real estate, then talks about how well she did. I just love a good "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" story.
Despite how much I enjoyed this book, it was not professionally edited. There were enough errors that they detracted from the quality of the book overall. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and the storytelling and found the general flow of the stories well-planned. For these reasons, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. A better edit would have placed it as a 5-star read.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy short vignettes that are extremely entertaining but not heavy on details. There are enough genres covered in the various stories to entertain a multitude of tastes. These are first of all human interest stories that happen to take place in the real estate world. Anyone can enjoy them and should give them a try. I hope the author does a continuation in a new book. I have a feeling she has many more stories to tell.
******
Pandora's Lockbox
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Final Notice by Van Fleisher
