I decided this month to read two Danielle Steele novels. It'sbeen a busy month for me working A lot of hours, so I prescribed myself some escape novel reading on myKindle and picked up some Danielle Steele. This One was MUCH better than the first book that I read. I always enjoy a good tale that takes you through the life of someone, you start with the main character around age 3 as a young toddler facing abuse from a cruel mother. The beginning reads like a Walt Disney story reminding me of this cross between Cinderella and Snow White. In fact I think the author subconsciously pulled a lot of inspiration from those stories. you have the evil witch mother and the beautiful kind daughter who is abused so viciously by her own mother you would believe that the mother was an evil stepmother Creating poisoned apples and saying mirror mirror "Who's the fairest one of them all?" So it's hard to believethat someone could give birth to a child and have only hatred for their child. But hey evil people do exist and then we get to witness our heroine face tragedies and struggles and more trouble abuse than any of us have ever faced in a lifetime. SO, I like a good rising from the ashes and overcoming against the odds. This isn't a work of literary greatness. Danielle Steele writes with a simplicity for the general public. But it's a good story If you want a distraction and you'll likely read it from start to finish pretty quickly because you won't put it down until it's finished.On One final note I also liked that the setting of the book was New York, post Korean War. Growing up In New York city in the Catholic community, there were some parts of the book that just left me nostalgic to a NY that I and my family grew up in and Knew very intimately. z found many memories of my childhood resurfacing while I read this book and I appreciate this unintended bonus.
I think the last time a book gripped me this much was when I read "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. On that note, I don't think I have ever read a book that made me feel so angry, saddened, and hopeful many times throughout the whole story. It was riveting and left me feeling broken hearted for the poor girl who could never catch a break. I have NEVER teared up this much while reading a book in my life. Steele's writing made the characters feel so real, to the point where I actually HATED a handful of fictional characters! Hated to the core of my very being; I even shouted at the book at times (which caused many weird looks from my family so I took to reading when I was alone). I will recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a good tear jerker and will probably read it again myself someday when I recover from the traumatic experience of reading it the first time.
I remember reading this book while I was a freshmen in high school and even then I could not put it down! I felt like such a nerd while all my friends were talking after our work was done or in between classes and I was quietly reading and at times even tearing up or crying. This was an excellent book and was one of the first that would lead me to becoming a huge lover a books. I remember feeling the pain from an unwanted young girl and more and more getting badly abused and getting very little to no help at all from her father. After he left it got worst until the mother found another man and had discarded the daughter for good by dropping her off at church for nuns to take care of. The detail and horror that I felt along with this character was amazing and in my opinion was very well written. You would think things got better from there and how could they really move on with the storyline but they did and it still makes me sad as I remember it like I have just read the book when in reality it's been over 10 years and it's still one of my favorites!
—Kimberly
Weak protagonist! Gabriella is labelled 'strong' in this book because she overcame all the obstacles but I personally feel that it made her character weak & pathetic when she allowed people to kick her around. And then it ends with a happily ever after with Prince Charming. Boring..."Most things are complicated in life, arent they? It's a shame it has to be that way. Sometimes it seems like nothing can ever be easy. But there are also times it's easier than we make it. I think we all complicate things ourselves. Things can be easier if we let them."
—Liana Qissy Cat
More like 3.75 stars. It was a really good book. Interesting and it never dragged. However, the brutality of the abuse was horrifying. Gabby seemed to just have one terrible thing after another happen to her and it wasn't until the very end where it seemed like things would be looking up. But knowing her history, if the book would've continued, that probably would've went horribly wrong as well.(view spoiler)[Her mother was a domestic abusing sociopath. Her father was a magnificent coward and a poor excuse for a man. And don't even get me started on Steve... (hide spoiler)]
—Keka
