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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
I’ve long been a fan of Danielle Steel novels, but I haven’t read any of her more recent books. The synopsis for this story intrigued me. This book had a different format and feel then other books I’ve read by her. The characters were messy and complicated but still very relatable and understandable. Their stories were brought to life with rich detail and scenery. There was great moments filled with symbolism and parallels between the characters. Sometimes I wished there had be more of that. The pacing of the story and plot lines was just right throughout the novel. Things feel into place at the right time. However, the story was told in three parts and at times felt a bit disjointed in the beginning. The ending of the book surprised me (in a good way). I was expecting an abrupt ending and got the extra pages I always want at the end of a good book. Overall, the book was enjoyable and hard to put down once you sunk into its pages.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and only because my mum asked me to read it as it’s by her favourite author and she really enjoyed it.
It’s an OK story but has some series eye roll moments. Some parts are so unrealistic that it pained me and when I finally thought we were getting to the good bits, they ended abruptly.
I might try another one of her books some day but this certainly wasn’t memorable. I guess if you don’t normally read thrillers/crime books (my mum doesn’t) then you might really like this. As a big fan of thriller/crime books, the plot in this was so week that reading it felt like a chore.
It’s an OK story but has some series eye roll moments. Some parts are so unrealistic that it pained me and when I finally thought we were getting to the good bits, they ended abruptly.
I might try another one of her books some day but this certainly wasn’t memorable. I guess if you don’t normally read thrillers/crime books (my mum doesn’t) then you might really like this. As a big fan of thriller/crime books, the plot in this was so week that reading it felt like a chore.
I have to say, this book did disappoint me a bit. I just didn't enjoy how the characters were written, and felt like I never really connected with them to care enough about what happened in the story. In saying that, it was a very easy read that is good for those that don't like heavy, in-depth storylines.
I really wished that they brought Ariana and Marshall together far sooner in the story, and built more of a foundation for their romance. It felt like they were just chucked together at the end with no more explanation.
I really wished that they brought Ariana and Marshall together far sooner in the story, and built more of a foundation for their romance. It felt like they were just chucked together at the end with no more explanation.
Marshall was an amazing character although Ariana gained my appreciation gradually. Marshall's past was so good that I wanted even more of it! Overall, this book was surely an engrossing experience to me. My first Danielle Steel read and I loved it.
Always a great storyteller but repeats her thoughts and scenes way too much. I still enjoy the stories.
Marshall was an amazing character although Ariana gained my appreciation gradually. Marshall's past was so good that I wanted even more of it! Overall, this book was surely an engrossing experience to me. My first Danielle Steel read and I loved it.
I've heard about how awesome Danielle Steel is as an author but have never read any of her books before, so I borrowed this book from my library to find out. Undercover is an interesting and exciting read up until the end, where the writing becomes rushed and generic.
The story is told in three parts: first part focuses on Marshall Everett, an American spy working under the name of Pablo Echeverría for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Colombia, who has to suddenly flee after his identity is revealed to the drug gang he was spying on. While he was there he fell in love with Paloma, the sister of Raul, the gang leader, who becomes pregnant with their child. After he fled, Raul kills Paloma, which Marshall finds out after he arrives in Washington D.C.
Torn and depressed, he is sent to work with the Secret Service. There he became friends with President Phillip Armstrong and his family, whom he worked for until he became disabled defending them from a gunman. Forced out of service, he is recommended to visit France for a getaway.
Second part: Ariana Gregory, 22 year old graduate of Barnard College, editorial assistant to a fashion magazine, and daughter to the widower Robert Gregory, a successfully rich man who hoped to become an ambassador. She isn't thrilled but promises to move to with him after he is assigned U.S. Ambassador to Argentina. Upon arrival she is caught up in all the glitz and glamor of the rich as she decorates their new home and takes on the job as hostess.
One day she is kidnapped by an anarchist named Jorge and held in the jungle. He uses mind control to persuade - more like forcing - her to join his cause, which takes a toll on her mental health and her father's physical health after she is rescued. She is persuaded to visit a deprogrammer in France after living in a convent, so she heads there for her own sake.
Third part: Ariana participates in the deprogrammer session in Paris, France, for two years. Afterward, she steps back out into her elite circle, but doesn't know Jorge's brother has discovered her whereabouts and sent men to kidnap her again. Meanwhile, Marshall is enjoying his time in Paris until he sees Ariana burying a box in the park. They don't know each other, but this sets the scene where their circumstances force them to work with each other to escape Jorge's brother's men.
Their story's weren't rushed, plus the character development for Ariana and Marshall were set at the right pace for readers to fully understand their pain and struggles, but after Jorge's brother's men are killed Steel rushes through the rest of her story as if she is under a time constraint, sometimes repeating herself. I wasn't expecting the story to end so soon after their enemy is killed, plus I felt their could've been more character development too, with a little more suspense, but Steel settles for a quick happily-ever-after instead. It's still an enjoyable story, but the ending could've been better.
The story is told in three parts: first part focuses on Marshall Everett, an American spy working under the name of Pablo Echeverría for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Colombia, who has to suddenly flee after his identity is revealed to the drug gang he was spying on. While he was there he fell in love with Paloma, the sister of Raul, the gang leader, who becomes pregnant with their child. After he fled, Raul kills Paloma, which Marshall finds out after he arrives in Washington D.C.
Torn and depressed, he is sent to work with the Secret Service. There he became friends with President Phillip Armstrong and his family, whom he worked for until he became disabled defending them from a gunman. Forced out of service, he is recommended to visit France for a getaway.
Second part: Ariana Gregory, 22 year old graduate of Barnard College, editorial assistant to a fashion magazine, and daughter to the widower Robert Gregory, a successfully rich man who hoped to become an ambassador. She isn't thrilled but promises to move to with him after he is assigned U.S. Ambassador to Argentina. Upon arrival she is caught up in all the glitz and glamor of the rich as she decorates their new home and takes on the job as hostess.
One day she is kidnapped by an anarchist named Jorge and held in the jungle. He uses mind control to persuade - more like forcing - her to join his cause, which takes a toll on her mental health and her father's physical health after she is rescued. She is persuaded to visit a deprogrammer in France after living in a convent, so she heads there for her own sake.
Third part: Ariana participates in the deprogrammer session in Paris, France, for two years. Afterward, she steps back out into her elite circle, but doesn't know Jorge's brother has discovered her whereabouts and sent men to kidnap her again. Meanwhile, Marshall is enjoying his time in Paris until he sees Ariana burying a box in the park. They don't know each other, but this sets the scene where their circumstances force them to work with each other to escape Jorge's brother's men.
Their story's weren't rushed, plus the character development for Ariana and Marshall were set at the right pace for readers to fully understand their pain and struggles, but after Jorge's brother's men are killed Steel rushes through the rest of her story as if she is under a time constraint, sometimes repeating herself. I wasn't expecting the story to end so soon after their enemy is killed, plus I felt their could've been more character development too, with a little more suspense, but Steel settles for a quick happily-ever-after instead. It's still an enjoyable story, but the ending could've been better.
Title: Undercover
Author: Danielle Steel
Genre: Adult Thriller
Format: hardback book
Series: N/A
Star Rating: 5 stars
Please note that this is an older review. At the time of writing this review, I did not keep track of trigger warnings. I apologize for this and know that going forward, my reviews will contain trigger warnings. If you know the trigger warnings for this book, please reach out to me, and I will amend my review. If I do remember any trigger warnings for this book, I will list them, but please note that it is not an extensive list.
tw: gun violence, kidnapping, injury from gun violence, Stockholm Syndrome,
Oh my! What I felt throughout the entire book was just pure dread and adrenaline. This book was so wild! It's one of the better DS books that I have read. This is so unlike any other book she’s ever written, and I was living for it. I hope she writes more books like this because I am hooked, and I want more.
So basically, the book has two different POVs. One is of Marshall. He was into undercover work and spent years in a jungle with a drug lord to bring him down. This is how the book starts. But after his mission ended, his superiors were worried that he had gone too deep. So they assign him to be the Secret Service to the President. However, he gets shot, and life comes to an end for him.
I felt so bad for Marshall. He lost his love in the jungle. She was the drug lord's sister. The drug lord found out who ratted him out, and so he shot her to make Marshall feel the pain. I mean that has to be the worst feeling in the world. I felt so much pain for him. So then he gets shuffled around and put to work in the one place he didn't want. That is like a double blow. But at least he begins to enjoy it for a little bit. Until he gets shot. Now he is basically out of work and can't do anything. I mean to have such an exciting life come to an end like that? Man, I couldn't even begin to imagine what that must feel like.
Then we have the POV of Arianna. Her story is just as wild as Marshall's. She moved to Argentina because of her dad. He is an ambassador, and Arianna helps him out because it's only them. She gets kidnapped, falls in love with her kidnapper, and gets pregnant with him. Some major Stockholm Syndrome is going on here. I mean that is really outside the box for DS. Like, very outside the box. As Arianna tries to recover from that experience, her life is still in so much danger.
Arianna and Marshall meet because Marshall can't resist working and notices that Arianna is being followed. He noticed that she had buried a box. Being the detective that he is, he digs it up and reads what's inside the contents. I won't say anymore, but their lives become entangled in the best and worst ways.
If I had any complaints, it would be that the ending kind of just came out of nowhere. It went much too fast for me. I mean, yes, I'm glad it ended the way I wanted it to, but I needed more information. It just seemed to end. Just like that. But that is a very small, very minor complaint. Overall, this was such an amazing book and I could keep talking about it for a long, long time. And I highly recommend it.