Kane and Abel
by Jeffrey Archer
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Book Reviews of Kane and Abel
Book Review: Kane & Abel
Summary: 1 Stars
First, I'll preface this review in stating that I'm reviewing the abridged audio version of this book. I avoid abridged versions of any book, but this one was given me by a friend to read.
As the story unfolded in the beginning it was quite interesting. After awhile though the story line became quite predictable. Consistancy was lacking in the leading characters. Their personalities and responses were modified to fit, what seemed to be, a greatly contrived and simplistic story line. After getting two-thirds through the book my interest was no longer in what happened to the characters, but whether my theories on what will happen was correct.
Most people seemed to really like the book and again I can only relate to the heavily abridged CD version. I suspect that so much was chopped out of the story that the summary of events not told gave too many clues to future events. Stay away from abridgements because even if a story is good, they will most often disappoint!
Book Review: Great story to enjoy immensely
Summary: 5 Stars
It is about two men of two different backgrounds born in the same day, one, William, born in a golden Wasp conservative affluent family of Boston, owners of a powerful bank, the other, Wladek (Abel) a Pole, born in extreme poverty, forced to flee his homeland Poland after witnessing and suffering the atrocities of the war waged by the Russians, he later got by chance to immigrate to the US and became a self made man pursuing the American Dream, finally getting to the top as an hotel mogul.
Both lives are destined to clash, the reader understand this from the very beginning and from the title of the book. The story goes from the turn of the century, following the Great Depression and ends in the beginning of the sixties, when Kennedy runs for President. It is about human passions, family and life itself. It is fast paced, very well written and with ingenious twist and turns.
The ending chapters hold a lot of surprises and do not disappoint
Book Review: I Kane and was ABLE to put this book down long enough to grab a tissue!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ahhhhhh my appetite has been tempted by yet another. Each summer I adopt an author and read everything they have ever published. Joy Fielding was my selection this summer, within 2 weeks I savoured all of her books and needed a new menu to get me through July and August. The Dessert was Jeffrey Archer. I began with False Impression which I absolutely consumed within 2 days. Then onto Kane and Able. OMG. I almost lost my heart when Able witnessed his loving sister's "event" as to not give anything away.
I was swept up into the lives of William and Able and I relished all that Mr. Archer was serving up. The emotions that Archer was able to dig up within me had my tummy filled with butterflies on many occasions. It is rare that I can name all the characters with such clarity. In Kane and Able I will never forget William and Able, how could I? By far the best book I have ever read, well at least this summer... mmmm Prodigal Daughter awaits me.
Book Review: THis book is life
Summary: 5 Stars
In November of 1985 I a month away from my 8th birthday went into the den to be with my father. He was watching a miniseries (remember them people) and I watched with him. Now my maternal grandfather left Poland with his family in 1928 so when Peter Strauss as Wladek said "I am Polish" I was hooked. I loved everything about the miniseries. THe fact that it took place over sixty years and that the charecters changed with the times. One of the other things I remember although until I saw it again 21 years later I could not tell if it was Kane or Abel talk was that one of the charecters (It turned out to be Abel) said "He considered me a good investment. WE COULD HAVE BEEN FRIENDS!" I got the book on tape and then the book as the book on tape was an abridgement. I did the same thing with the Prodigal daughter by the way and I have reread it over and over againBook Review: Not high art, but a definite page turner
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this book on the advice of my mother-in-law, and I was not disappointed. It's a real page-turner, and I now realize why Lord Archer has sold so many books (actually, his own life rivals any of his fictional characters for intrigue, courtroom drama, adultery and obsession). Kane and Abel is not high art--the characters are a bit two-dimensional, their motives a bit thin--and the big "secret" of the book was immediately apparent to me. I wondered often why the main character involved didn't make it known early on as it would have solved the whole conflict, but then, I suppose, we would have missed out on the second half of the book. Anyway, Archer writes in the tradition of John Grisham, Sidney Sheldon, or perhaps Howard Fast. He's a consummate story-teller, and this book makes perfect summer reading.