Black and Blue (Oprah's Book Club)
by Anna Quindlen
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Book Reviews of Black and Blue (Oprah's Book Club)
Book Review: Let Down
Summary: 2 Stars
I just finished Black and Blue... I am the type of person that if I really like a book, I can read it over and over again... But I won't be reading this one again.
Mainly, I had a hard time with the language. She took the Lord's name in vain at least every other page, if not more. It was quite annoying and distracting, as I tried to avoid reading those parts... Also, the author went back and forth between the past and the present so much, that sometimes it took a few sentences before I realized it was a memory, and not the present.
BUT... I still couldn't put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen to Fran, Robert, and Bobby.
As a mom... I didn't like the ending.
Book Review: Keeps you on the edge of your seat
Summary: 5 Stars
Whether you've been abused or simply wish to understand the world of those who have been, BLACK AND BLUE is a must read. Having been in abusive relationships I found myself relating intensely to Fran's situation. Anna Quindlen's writing style is uniquely amazing as she glides back and forth from Fran's past to what she is going through as she evolves away from her abuser, trying to start fresh and find herself and help her son heal from the tragedies all children suffer when the two people they depend on most in the world are at war with one another. When I reached the second to last chapter and I had to put it down. I was afraid of how things would wind up for Fran. But I had to know. So will you.Book Review: Boring, sad, anticlimatic.
Summary: 2 Stars
My most positive comment for the review of this book is that it was no longer than 277 pages. I kept waiting for something to happen and when it did, it was sad. The author jumped back and forth between past and present too much. The ending was sad. Guess that's how life is sometimes...it doesn't always have a tidy way of working out, but I was hoping for more after enduring this boring story. It had trouble holding my attention, but I kept reading waiting for something interesting and maybe even happy to happen. It never did. Sorry if I'm revealing too much of the plot to anyone who hasn't read it, but be warned before investing too much time or money in this book.Book Review: A Battered Woman Goes From Victimhood to Empowerment
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a riveting book about Fran Benedetto, a battered wife and 'victim', who one day decides to take her son and run away from her husband. She takes on a new identity and begins again.
Through flashbacks, inner dialogue and growing relationships, we see this woman's strength despite the ever-present fear that her husband will find her.
Though in novel form, I think this book realistically portrays how an abused woman feels. If only all battered women had the strength that Fran does. As a Clinical Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist, I have recommended this book to several of my clients.
Book Review: Black and Blue Will Keep You Glued to the Pages
Summary: 5 Stars
I like to really be riveted to a book when I read it and I was with Black and Blue. There needs to be another name for the cruelty, torture and savage beating of a woman by a man rather than spousal abuse or domestic violence because those terms are too benign for what actually goes on. I also liked how great this book was on giving us some idea of what goes on in a woman's mind when she is in an impossible situation like this. But above all, I like the book because it is a well written story and there is nothing on the planet that beats a good story. Definitely worth reading. Power Path to Love