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barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
4.0
Battered wife runs with 10 yo son. Every one of these stories takes me back to Sleeping with the Enemy.
jenniepicky's review
2.0
It got off to a promising start...and then lost momentum. It ALMOST got it back and the book ended just as it was getting good again.
I really don't like Anna Quindlan's fiction writing style. At. All. I'll stick to her much more entertaining non-fiction writing.
I really don't like Anna Quindlan's fiction writing style. At. All. I'll stick to her much more entertaining non-fiction writing.
bupdaddy's review against another edition
5.0
I read this because I'd never read any Quindlen, and thought I should make up that deficiency.
I am very aware I'm a man as I write this.
So I'll say I know I'm not qualified to really talk about the subject matter (escaping an abusive husband), because I have no experience with it. It certainly got disturbing at parts, but not gratuitous. The emotional horror and psychological bullying were the hard parts.
And for once, I didn't hate the reader's guide in the back (well, the part that Quindlen added. I still refuse to read 'discussion questions.'). It was a neat insight into an author's relationship with her protagonist.
I am very aware I'm a man as I write this.
So I'll say I know I'm not qualified to really talk about the subject matter (escaping an abusive husband), because I have no experience with it. It certainly got disturbing at parts, but not gratuitous. The emotional horror and psychological bullying were the hard parts.
And for once, I didn't hate the reader's guide in the back (well, the part that Quindlen added. I still refuse to read 'discussion questions.'). It was a neat insight into an author's relationship with her protagonist.
acthomas's review against another edition
4.0
If I could write like anyone in the world, it would be Anna Quindlen. Five stars for her writing, which expresses every action and thought of the characters in a way that makes you live it. Three stars for the storyline itself. It kept my interest, but felt slow at times due to the majority of the action being told in flashbacks. It gives the plot a certain amount of safety instead of suspense.
hoserlauren's review against another edition
3.0
Given all the positive reviews of this book, I wonder if it packed a different punch when it was written. Was domestic abuse not a frequently written subject 20 years ago? Don't get me wrong, this book was ok. It held my attention and I was concerned for "Beth" and Robert. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But it wasn't a great book. It just read like an average Oprah novel, to be honest.
ewg109's review against another edition
4.0
I'm definitely going to cry at book club. Quindlen's writing is amazing.
sylviaisme's review against another edition
5.0
Una storia bellissima, di amore, odio, violenza, sacrifici e paure, ma anche di estremo coraggio e determinazione.
Una storia profonda narrata con una prosa perfetta, un ritmo incalzante in cui tra i vari flashbacks, la protagonista -straordinaria-, narra la SUA storia d'amore, la sua vita passata e quella che è diventata la sua nuova esistenza dopo essere fuggita da un marito estremamente violento.
Un libro che mi era sconosciuto, un regalo stupendo che custodirò tra i più belli.
Una storia profonda narrata con una prosa perfetta, un ritmo incalzante in cui tra i vari flashbacks, la protagonista -straordinaria-, narra la SUA storia d'amore, la sua vita passata e quella che è diventata la sua nuova esistenza dopo essere fuggita da un marito estremamente violento.
Un libro che mi era sconosciuto, un regalo stupendo che custodirò tra i più belli.
emjay24's review against another edition
2.0
This was a quick, average read about a woman and her son trying to escape her abusive husband. It was not great or bad.
xaleah's review
5.0
Frannie, Frannie, Fran.....Bobby always said her name that way.
Fran Benedetto had loved Bobby. Bobby the cop. Bobby, her sons dad. Bobby...sexy, handsome, strong Bobby.
Fran Benedetto had once loved him so much.
But Fran was a battered wife. Bobby was an abusive husband. And Fran had finally had enough.
Secretly uprooting their son Robert, changing their names, moving to another state seems to be the only thing Fran can do to free herself from the confines of Bobby.
Frannie becomes Beth Crenshaw with a new name, a new home, a new job, even a new birthday. She manages to have Robert keep his first name, but he too got to keep the secret of where he really came from and who he really was.
As readers we get a pretty in dept view of what it is like to live the life of a battered woman. How she was happy, scared, hurt, and sometimes still in love at the same times. How emotions ran high and hurts ran deep.
I really enjoyed this book, the writing was fantastic and the story line was something that kept me interested from page one to the end.
Definitely recommend.
Fran Benedetto had loved Bobby. Bobby the cop. Bobby, her sons dad. Bobby...sexy, handsome, strong Bobby.
Fran Benedetto had once loved him so much.
But Fran was a battered wife. Bobby was an abusive husband. And Fran had finally had enough.
Secretly uprooting their son Robert, changing their names, moving to another state seems to be the only thing Fran can do to free herself from the confines of Bobby.
Frannie becomes Beth Crenshaw with a new name, a new home, a new job, even a new birthday. She manages to have Robert keep his first name, but he too got to keep the secret of where he really came from and who he really was.
As readers we get a pretty in dept view of what it is like to live the life of a battered woman. How she was happy, scared, hurt, and sometimes still in love at the same times. How emotions ran high and hurts ran deep.
I really enjoyed this book, the writing was fantastic and the story line was something that kept me interested from page one to the end.
Definitely recommend.
kathie_g's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
3.0
This was really good until the last few chapters. To put it bluntly, the ending sucks. Ruined the book for me. I have it three stars only because the rest of the book was worthy of it.