Fan Fiction Books

I LOVED this book! I just love a story that takes me back to Hollywood in the 50s and 60s because the stars of that time were so classic! The characters are entertaining, if a bit offbeat and the story built all the way until the end. I would recommend this to anyone who loves Hollywood gossip or just a good mystery.

GETTING GARBO might not have been the best title for this hard-hitting noir book which reads a lot like Dorothy B. Hughes bestseller of a bygone era, IN A LONELY PLACE. I think GETTING GARBO, coupled with the simpering face on the cover of this novel, will lead some readers into thinking the book is a romance which it definitely is not. Well, maybe it is in an ultra-perverse sort of way. Young Reva, a member of the Secret Six society of autograph hounds, has always had an unspoken affinity to up and coming screen star Roy Darnell, who has a TV series from Warner Brothers called "Jack Havoc."

Roy and Reva alternate chapters between them, and author Ludwig nails down both characters beautifully, as well as giving us a full scale, Edna Ferber-like picture of show biz life both in NY and Hollywood. It's almost a Kenneth Anger "insider's" look, but one that has a gentle, sepia tone to it, even in its courscating scenes of violence, ruthless ambition, and horrible bloodshed. Though this is not a book for the faint-hearted, adventurous readers will appreciate the trip back to the days when "Confidential" was both a threat and a treat to stars and their fans alike.

The 'Illustrated' 007 is faithful to the Fleming book series, which is fine by this reader, since Fleming's portrayal of 007 was the original and best. John McLusky's image of James Bond bears an amazing resemblance to Sean Connery - and this was drawn before he took the role of 007 in 1962!

This reader's disappointment is only that the complete set of Illustrated 007 episodes for all of Fleming's novels aren't available.

This book contains comic book adaptations of three of Ian Fleming's popular James Bond novels: Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Diamonds are forever. These stories are faithful adaptations of the original novels, with minor variations in the plot. Richly illustrated by John Mcluskey, these strips appeared in the Daily Express newspaper in London as well as many other newspapers all over the world. The plot of these stories are well known to most people in the world due to the enormous popularity of James Bond, and these comic strips present a whole new way of experiencing these stories again. Highly recommended.

The beginning is like swimming up current; the reader has to kind of force his/her way into the story, which is made hard by the boring torrents of Huxley's writing style and I often found myself wishing I'd be lodged under a rock to drown in the river that is this book, to just die there and be free from the thoughts that spill into these pages. But, I make it a point to always finish a book, and surprisingly, at times I found myself captivated in the story. The first few chapters make this book hard to get into, but, on the bright side, it picks up a little and there are some beautifully written descriptions that erase my regret for ever picking up this book. However, if you are impatient or easily bored, you won't make it far. If you want a story that'll captivate you from the first page, don't even bother with this book. Try "The Alchemist."

Huxley takes science fiction and satire to a new level with his novel, Brave New World. Brave New World provides an anti-utopian perspective taken place in the future in which technology, totalitarianism, and control rule. The story begins in a factory in which embryos are being genetically made. In this scene the Director show how people are conditioned and placed into classes and also forced to be subjected to meaningless sex. Unfortunate for them!!!!!. As the book continues Bernard Marx, Carl Marx, is later introduced as an unfit member of his social caste and till John is introduced he is our main character. He is later joined with Helmholtz, who is his best friend. Both have distinct discontent of the World State. Bernard's character begins to unfold in his love stricken attitude towards Lenina, which offers a sense of disfunctionality in a society in which love is not to be shown and we finally get a sense of emotion. While his love and lust for Lenina continues her character begins to spread as they travel to the savage world, New Mexico. In the Savage World they meet John, the main character. John reveals an incriminating secrete that forces the Director to resign. Furthermore, john leaves the wild to come to civilization with Bernard and Lenina. John begins to fall for Lenina and displays true affection towards her, but she only wants to have sex with him. In his stay in the city he becomes a show and tell by Bernard. Bernard becomes very famous and popular through his relationship with John. John and Bernard fall out and feud. While in civilization he has many altercations with angry mobs over soma, a drug that everyone takes when feeling depressed or overwhelmed. Unable to handle all the horrid actions of a World State, John runs away to a secluded island. He begins to reconcile with his actions in the world until citizens finally recognize him and force him to recount his stay in the World State. Overcome with disgust he commits suicide. Thorugh all the accounts of the main characters, Huxley proves that totalitarianism is an unsuccessful form of government by using satire, technology, and drugs.

This book was truly amazing at certain points i was so touched by what i was reading that i was forced to read out loud just to hear these words spoken, Huxley takes commend of the english langage as no other author and creates an almost perfect world if only the savages were included. If this is what the future holds i welcome it with open arms a sad truth.

Brave New World is an excellent choice for anyone who likes to geek out on their English major status. The references to Shakespeare are well used in the text and make it one of those little gems that keeps you looking for more. On the scifi nerd front, the futurismic world of happiness at the cost of intellect is one of those ideas that gets repeated often enough, but that is only because so many people love to pilfer from Huxley. I really enjoyed Brave New World, even if there were a few philosophical points on which I disagree with Huxley (particularly the false dichotomy he expects the reader to blindly accept). As a dystopian writer Huxley is rightly placed with the greats like Orwell and Zamyatin.

Oh yeah, and Leonard Nimoy was great in this movie, they should make it into a book.

To my knowledge, I went through 19 years of education without ever reading what is viewed by many as a literary classic. Stuck out of town without reading material, I picked up my high school son's volume and read it in about 3 hours.

Now, I know that it is considered a classic and it would be easy to just give it five stars and rave about the timelessness of Huxley's vision, but to be honest, if I'd picked it up at the bookstore unaware of its reputation, I'd give it three stars, so I did. Perhaps that says more about me than about the work, but I'm not going to pretend to like a bottle of wine just because it sells for $100+. Same theory.

The book is by no means bad. It is very short. It is moderately entertaining, though despite its brevity, it actually drags at times (such as when The Savage contemplates Shakespeare for a couple of pages). There is irony in the fact that the most literate character in the book is "The Savage". The conversation between Mons and The Savage was the high point of the book in my opinion.

Certainly, published in the 1930s, the book was timely in the face of the burgeoning eugenics movement and the assembly line techniques being perfected by Henry Ford (who was a eugenics supporter unless I'm mistaken). However, I've got to disagree with many that label Huxley as somehow prescient, and claim that many of his dystopian visions are somehow close to fruition. It has been 75 years, and while we have enjoyed many technological advances, I don't see us moving any closer to the type of society painted in the novel. Certainly, the kind of authoritarian regimes that make such a society possible have utterly failed.

Perhaps it is the presence of works such as Brave New World and 1984 that serve to warn against a slide in that direction, but whatever the reason, I have every confidence that the freedom loving people of the world will refuse to be pushed into the kind of servitude set out in the novel.

This is the first in the Women's Murder Club series and it is the first James Patterson book I've read. He is a popular and prolific writer, and this thriller doesn't disappoint. It may not be great literature, but it is easy reading with very short chapters and it keeps the reader's interest to the end. The reason I read the book is because of the TV series based on these books about four women -- a detective, a medical examiner, a crime reporter and an assistant district attorney -- who band together to solve crimes. They call themselves the Women's Murder Club. In this first book Detective Lindsay Boxer is also battling a serious illness and is involved in a romance as well as solving a series of murders. This is a good book to take along on a trip. It will help pass the time at the airport and on the plane.

I have a long drive to work and back through lots of traffic, but this book made me drive so much easier.

First book in the Women's Murder Club series.

Four professional women in San Francisco (a cop, a medical examiner, an assistant DA, and a reporter) join forces to catch a serial killer who is brutally murdering newlyweds.

Lots of page-turning action and Patterson's trademark gruesome, misogynistic murders. Read this for the gory murder mystery, not for the character development. While I didn't love it, I liked it enough that I will continue to read the series.

I started this series on the sixth book, so when I saw this at an airport, I was excited about finding out how the WMC had started. I really enjoyed reading about it unfolding. The mystery of the plot kept me intrigued. It did get a little more graphic than I would have liked at times, and I almost lowered it to 3 stars as a result.

I love murder mysteries, When I first saw this series on television I had to read the books. The only problem I had is that linday has dark hair on t.v. and the books have her as a blonde. Putting that aside the story introduces all the characters, and they work well together and support each other while solving violent crimes. Each woman plays a vital roll to the story. If you do not like women who are in charge and are lead characters, then this is not for you. I personally loved it.

This story seamlessly meshes past and present--three generation's worth--into a beautiful, nearly flawless, piece of work. Tan connects the past and present through a manuscript written by her main character's mother. Whole chapters are devoted to her mother's childhood and young adult memories, as are entire chapters devoted to the main character's childhood and present-day adult life. I am amazed that while reading this generation-spanning novel, never did I lose track of the novel's setting or time.
Amy Tan's novel provokes empathy, joy, sorrow, laughter, and a host of other emotions. This is her novel's strength.

This book is quite well written and worth reading but not quite good enough to get a 5 star rating from me. I did however give it 4 stars. It was an interesting story line but sometimes strayed from the storyline. All in all however worth buying.

When Ruth Young was growing up she'd often been embarrassed by the strange ways her mother acted. Mother believed in ghosts, bad luck and curses. She wanted her mother to be more modern like her Auntie Gal. Mother and daughter were often at odds, often had serious arguments. As time moves on Ruth's mother gets even more eccentric, so she takes her to the doctor and finds out she has dementia.

There had been many secret between mother and daughter and when her mother finds out that she's losing her memory she decides to write down everything about her past, but she shows Ruth only the first part of what she's written, the part she knows is true.

This is much more in this wonderful novel that is about not only the tense relationship between mother and daughter, but about their reconciliation as well and a lot about forgiveness. I loved this book and I think you will too.

I almost feel bad criticizing this book for being overly formulaic when I actually enjoyed parts of it so much. Yes, this is typical Amy Tan fare, which includes mother-daughter angst, immigrant culture, and old Chinese family secrets dusted off and gradually exposed through some engrossing storytelling. The story shifts between present-day San Francisco where we follow Ruth Young and her struggles with her Chinese-born mother, LuLing, and pre-WW2 rural China where we are treated to sumptious descriptions of old customs and superstitions surrounding LuLing's family origins. As with Tan's other books, it is when she takes the reader back in time to China that the story really shines. When the plot returns to America, it almost feels like a complete let-down.

In present time, Ruth's mother, LuLing, suffers from dementia, and as a result she has written down her life story in Chinese for her daughter to read. Ruth, who is not fluent in written Mandarin, hires someone to translate the story, and it is through this translation we are treated to the memoirs of LuLing. The bonesetter is her grandfather, and the daughter actually refers to LuLing's real mother - or Precious Auntie as she is called. This tragic title character is at the center of the story both before and after her death, and the injustices done to her by her adversaries as well as her own family are heartwrenching. The dynamic between LuLing and her "sister" GaoLing is also well portrayed, and the sisterly jealousies as well as loyalties are well characterized. The family business aspects, caligraphy descriptions and the ink-producing process are fascinating to read.
All the superstitions and ghosts that envelope every character in China, however, are the most satisfying parts.

There are numerous subplots and transitory characters, both in China and in San Fransisco. There are the two American missionaries along with Sister Yu, who run the orphanage where LuLing spends several years both as student and teacher. There are the British mother and daughter and their talking parrot in Hong Kong where LiuLing as a maid learns English. There are the archeologists who are excavating the Peking Man - and the one who wins LuLing's heart. The subplot involving Dottie and Lance from Ruth's childhood, however, albeit interesting, seemed to fizzle out without a proper conclusion.
Finally, the main male characters in the story were quite one-dimensional (saintly or evil) - but this is rather typical in Tan's writing.

The end is too contrived in its desperate attempt to provide some sort of closure between everyone. Also, the translator's role becomes a bit too sentimental. You leave the book wishing to read more about China, which is actually a good feeling.


All in all, this is a comforting hammock read that entertains, engrosses and ultimately fades gently away.

NOTE: I just had to edit this review a bit because I just saw Ms Tan in a lecture where she talked quite extensively about her own life history as well as those of her mother and grandmother. It startled me to find out that so much of her books are based on real-life scenarioes including events in The Bonesetter's Daughter. One of the things in the book that I quite frankly thought was a bit over-the-top is the mysterious sandbox, in which the superstitious mother makes Ruth write messages because she believes Ruth is some sort of medium for her deceased mother. Furthermore, this ultimately leads the mother to ask about stock options and which investments to make, and although the daughter just pretends to write these messages, it quite predictably turns out to amass a small fortune in the end. Ms Tan told the audience that her mother was similarly obsessed with the quijja board during Ms Tan's childhood, and Ms Tan made the board move by her own whimsy. However, the same investment inquires (and thus Tan's "recommendations") also led her mother to invest in some lucrative deals in real life! It made me appreciate the story a bit more - just knowing that such a peculiar notion as the sandbox was inspired by real-life events...

This is my favorite Amy Tan novel... The story begins with Ruth, an American born Chinese, who has struggles with her aging mother Lu Ling. As Lu Ling's mind begins to fail, truthful memories from the past come out and begin to intrigue Ruth. At the same time, she hires someone to translate a packet of Chinese notes that reveal her mother's background. The story of Precious Auntie and the upbringing of Lu Ling in a poor town in China are simply fascinating. The reader will easily get drawn into the story. As Ruth discovers the true spirit of her mother, she is able to make peace with some of the quirks and and superstitions that caused pain during her childhood.

Silas Marner / 0-553-21229-X

Silas Marner always invariably compares in my mind to Dicken's Scrooge. In the height of his youth, healthy, happy, and in love, he is betrayed, cast down, and taught the 'lesson' that only the criminal and avaricious get ahead in life. Banished to a new town, he abandons all attempts to connect with the society around him and instead focuses on hoarding his wealth carefully, counting his money lovingly in the evenings. When the money simply disappears one day, stolen by a burglar, Silas is crushed. Only the arrival of an "angel" - a little orphan girl with golden curls on her head - saves him, and starts him down the long road to redemption. Given something to love, Silas flourishes and learns to join the society of people.

The local nobility, Cass, serves as a perfect counterpoint to Silas' lessons. Cass is rescued in one fell swoop from all his burdens - his inconvenient lower class wife dies suddenly clearing the way for his 'true love' and noble girlfriend, his illegitimate child is adopted by Silas, and his blackmailing brother disappears into the snow for good - and yet, Cass is doomed to a life of disappointment. His perfect upper class wife Nancy cannot bear children, and their perfect home is turned into a silent as the two simply age (they do not grow) and they find that they never really loved each other after all. When Cass realizes, too late, what a treasure his daughter would have been in his life, he finds himself rejected as the girl prefers her adoptive father to the natural one who would not claim her. And though the girl marries below her father's level of nobility, she marries a good man who loves and appreciates her, and her future seems much more rosy than that of her upper class 'parents'.

I am one of the former students who long ago was forced to read this rot for a HS english class. I can not think of a book that would be of less interest to a teen age american boy than this one. All the reviewers who praise this book make me wonder about what else they read. It was beyond boring and had no possible points of reference to me. There are literally thousands of British novels that would be better choices. If you are going to assign students a British Novel pick one that at least they would enjoy reading. Thank god I liked to read or after this experience I would probably not read anything for years. I hope to god that this is no longer assigned or rather forced reading for HS. When there are books like 1984 or Brave New World available why use one that has so little possible interest to students.

George Eliot is the best woman author I've ever read. She had God-given talent that you or I, no matter how much we read, no matter how much we write, could not consciously replicate. She had something which can't be taught, a kernel of genius hidden somewhere in the brain, which was allowed to express itself...to our collective benefit.

Silas Marner, while not perfect, is something recognizably special--a book with lingering phrases, a book with extraordinary insight, a book that instates the reader with the feeling that the author knows what the hell she is doing. It's a book that matters.

I know what you are afraid of: you are afraid this book will be a bloated succession of tea parties and persiflage with mutton-chopped vicars. No fear: the plot is credibly organic, and moves along briskly, wrapping itself up in just over two-hundred pages. It should hold your interest so that you can discover the ten or so gem-sentences dispersed throughout. Sentences that are not just airtight, but that meld with your mind, and cause an "Aha!" reaction. You know what I'm talking about.

Perhaps the most convincing signal I can offer of my sincere regard for her abilities is the fact that I'll now seek out her other works...something I can't say about Virginia Woolf, for instance, whose literary inferiority to Eliot I would take as axiomatic. (Ironic, isn't it--or maybe not--that feminists seem to esteem Woolf more highly than Eliot?)

George Eliot's SILAS MARNER is a literary classic. What does that mean? A classic is a book that has passed the test of time. A book taken out of its historical milieu and placed in a contemporary one, e.g. our 2008 society, and still reads fresh is a classic.

SILAS MARNER still reads fresh, if you are a sophisticated reader or have a teacher to guide you through the ground mines of vocabulary and complex writing. However, wrapped inside those is a great story, even a soap opera that students recognize as soon as the Cass brothers are introduced.

Two story lines run parallel until they intersect with the theft of Silas's gold. Silas Marner has been in this village for seventeen years, living a life of isolation, while he makes a living as a weaver. Even if he had chosen to live amongst people, he possesses two things that would always hinder acceptance: he is a herbalist and a victim of catatonic seizures. He discontinues his use of herbs early on, but he cannot stop catatonia, which of course becomes a metaphor for his life with others before Eppy appears.

It is these quiet seizures that result in blackouts that--bottom line--cause his banishment from a religious community where he was highly respected. In the seventeen years near Raveloe, nothing has happened to change his life with a dead heart. His great love in this time is his growing stacks of gold. He loves it! He idolizes it!

Enter Godfrey and Dunstan Cass, two landed gentry, both dissolute in differing ways, both catalysts in the change in Silas Marner's dull life. The younger brother, Dunstan, is a n'er-do-well, a gambler in debt and subject to embarrassment by a man to whom Dunstan owes a great deal of money. He finds gold in Silas's house. On the other hand, Godfrey leads a superficial respectable life, because he too has indulged himself and has a child born out of wedlock.

One cold, dark, stormy night two stories intersect: Dunstan steals Silas's gold, then disappears forever, and Silas is devastated by the loss of his gold. However, this loss brings Silas into community. The night the golden-haired child appears magically on Silas's hearth clinches Silas's total acceptance into village life. Silas adopts this child and Dolly Winthrop becomes his guiding angel in helping to raise the child.

When the two secrets are revealed concerning Dunstan and Godfrey, the reader cheers Silas on, directs hisses at Godfrey, and stands amazed at Dunstan's revelation.

Inside this "soap opera" is a fabulous story of love and redemption. Without love one man lives a life of solace in gold with a heart dried and shriveled. With love his heart beats passionately and lovingly and makes him live fully with family and friends. No greater lesson can come from a story as one of redemption. From the still-point of one golden-haired girl radiates a life that redeems a man.

George Eliot, or Mary Ann Evans, is a genius in depicting the lives of men and women and their influence on others for good or evil. Eppy is the source of good out of sinful circumstances and selfishness on Godfrey's part. Godfrey continues his static life force by not claiming his child at one point and trying to claim her when it is too late. The contrast between one man who has little and the other who has everything is instructive in explaining the ways of the heart.

If I were marooned on a deserted island and could take ten books with me, SILAS MARNER would definitely be on the list. It is a great book to teach and listen to students respond to it (and NO, I won't be stranded with students). Watching their faces in class discussion concerning Dunstan's re-appearance in Raveloe is absolutely priceless. Even though the foreshadowing is huge, students never figure out what happens.

Just think of all the choices we make in our lives, some irrevocable as to cause and effect. SILAS MARNER is a caution and a beacon to making the right choices. Making wrong choices to hide one's actions, more often than not, results in dire consequences. Silas shows us that right actions produce right results. I love this book!

Silas Marner is a skillfully crafted novel to be enjoyed by readers with varied tastes. It was written by a woman, who found it necessary to use a man's name because of attitudes in England in the nineteenth century. It is built around problems that all of us face in our lives, such as, "How important is money?" As in all great novels, the characters change as the plot develops.

SILAS MARNER is a realistic novel because it portrays life in a real and believable fashion. The author, Mary Ann Evans, who used the pen name, George Eliot, pays careful attention to a few distinguishing details about here characters and settings.

For example, we can see Silas Marner, the central character of the novel, with his pale skin and undersized body. We know how he looks with his large, near-sighted, bulging eyes. We can see the important-looking village of Raveloe, which lives peacefully in opulent neglect.

When I was a teacher, I directed many high school sophomores to read SILAS MARNER. Most students dreaded reading the novel included in their literature textbooks. Once they met Silas and spent enough time with him to become acquainted with his unique personality, they became eager readers of this well-crafted classic.

It has some of the same qualities that made Pride and Prejudice (Vintage Classics) an endearing and enduring novel. In both works, the idyllic English countryside is an enjoyable escape from everyday life. There is romantic courtship in both, but the romance of SILAS MARNER is not the central theme; therefore it is not as compelling as that in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Since the readers are not required to become obsessed with yearning for romantic fulfillment, young guys who were in my class felt free to enjoy it. (Sixteen year old young men are still self-conscious about these matters.) Both books contain the same kind of satire buffered with compassion. In both novels we laugh with the local rural and village people. Because the language in SILAS MARNER is less complex, adolescent readers enjoy it more than they do PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

When as a student I first read SILAS MARNER in high school and when I read it with my students, I considered the coincidences plot weaknesses. Life doesn't work that way, I thought. Now that I have experienced a life of incredible coincidences, I no longer find anything in the book unbelievable. Events caused by Silas Marner's catalepsy seemed unlikely, but now they represent no problem.

Theft with its resulting bitterness provides conflict with which the readers can identify. Earlier I found it difficult to believe that the lightning of theft could strike twice, but that part of the plot is one more realistic element now. Other twists and turns with their ironic mysteries are typical of human life as I have lived it.

All the parts of the novel that seemed to be a contrived fairy tale are now a vignette of life. Even if I could not believe it all, the book would still break my heart the way Forrest Gump does with its twists and turns of satirical accounts.

When I enjoyed SILAS MARNER in my twenties with thirty teenagers at a time, I did not notice the shaping of Silas' religious beliefs as much as I do now. I remember that the students and I were indignant about the way Silas was duped by the evil church members at Lantern Yard. Now I have compassion for them, especially William, as well as for Silas.

Mary Ann Evans showed the futility of idolatry. All my students understood the disaster of worshiping money. If I could return to my students, I would like to ask them what they thought of the villagers who seemed to rely on the habits of their church to bring them close to God. Could we discuss that in the 21st century? I feel sure we would discuss the addiction to narcotics as it is realistically portrayed.

SILAS MARNER is a great English novel not difficult to read, but rich in insights. It shows what is evil and what is good in human hearts.

What a beautiful book. Not only is the story beautiful, but it offers glimpses into Chinese traditions and superstitions behind how the dead and ancestors are treated. As a Chinese American, I grew up with these traditions but never knew the reasons behind them, my Mother always just said "We do it because that's how we've always done it." - this book gave me the long awaited answers to how those traditions and beliefs came about.

I visit China several times a year for business and thoroughly enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I was curious if lightning could strike twice for See and it has. Her storytelling is masterful, evoking the netherworld in a tangible way. I finished the book in one (albeit long) plane trip to Hong Kong and then saw the city (which is well known to me) through ancient eyes.

I really enjoyed this beautifully written book. Ms. See uses words like a skilled painter uses color, creating scenes that the reader can visualize and feel a part of. Peony is an effective narrator who makes the reader care about the people she loves--and this book really is about Peony in love. Her love isn't merely the romantic love that you might think; it's obsessive and all-consuming, and the book's exploration of it is thorough. Also thoroughly explored is filial love, especially that between mothers and daughters.

In several narrative threads, tragedy results from women's traditional, circumscribed roles--tragedy for the women, that is. Ms. See creates a sisterhood between women, achieved through a genuine understanding of their culture's (lack of) appreciation for them and their cultural contributions.

Two things, I thought, fell short. Tan Ze's character isn't developed in a way that's believable (I can't say more without spoiling the plot). Secondly, there are a few narrative contradictions--noticeable, but not fatal; they're the sort of things a good editor should have caught.

Read this book! It will make you think about a lot of things.

This is a fairly short novel about a girl in a well-to-do family in Qing Dynasty China (probably late 1600s-early 1700s). At first glance it's about first love gone awry but it's really much more...there's a big twist that happens in the first half of the book that entirely changes what the novel's about.

Themes go beyond romantic love towards family love, loyalty/obsession, and the value of letting go...framed in an interesting story about a contemporary literary work of the time. There's also subtheme about women writers (apparently the first novel published by a woman in the whole WORLD happened around this time in China, though I don't know how accurate that statement is.) The mood takes you from heartache, to melancholy, to redemption.

Lots of nice details and atmosphere put you right into the era. Some may be upset by scenes of footbinding and how it "increased" the value of women and was a part of female bonding...but you have to remember the cultural context. Someday people might look back to today's braces, heels, waxing etc. and think we were barbarous idiots.

The female characters are more strongly written than the male ones, who come off a little one-dimensional. This might be intentional considering our point of view comes from an extremely sheltered young girl who probably only saw certain sides of the few males she came into contact with.

Overall, I liked this better than Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (which came off as an Amy Tan knockoff to me.) Peony In Love is still a little cliched in its writing but not quite so overwrought as other women/historical fiction can be. If you're looking for a bodice-ripping beach read, this is not it ;) This is a bit deeper and just different (thanks to that twist) from your usual historical novel, and a great choice if you're interested in the lives of women in old China.

Lisa See creates a beautiful, palpable and completely predictable environment for her reader in Peony in Love. The settings and emotions were so evocative that I couldn't turn away from them. Yet...the plot twists aren't twists at all, and left me feeling more than a bit unfulfilled.

As I flipped from page to page, I couldn't help but know what was coming, and that I was being dragged on in a stagnant plot as See created nothing but filler. Even as the tale trudges on, the filler becomes no less obvious.

The entire beginning had built up to something amazing - whether amazingly happy, beautiful or sad was left to be seen. Instead of culminating with a breakthrough, it fell short to predictability.

K.F. Zuzulo is the author of A Genie in the House of Saud: Zubis Rises (A Genie in the House of Saud)

This is one of my favorite Silva thrillers, primarily because of the subterfuge, chase, revelation, and respect between Silva's hero Gabriel Allon and the antagonist of this book, the English Assassin, who seems to serve as Allon's alter ego. The Englishman is a former British-government trained special ops soldier, now turned mercenary. The back-and-forth in scene and plot when Allon's and the Englishman's paths crisscross as they pursue their mutual targets reminded me of the chivalric rivalries between knights of disparate standards. You still get the same dependable, richly drawn Allon, but you have an added bonus of the Englishman's character, who draws on the reader's empathy as well.
As always, we are witness to fabulous settings and Allon's deep cultural angst leading to integrity and heroism. Don't pass this one by.

Very entertaining novel especially for commute to work. Much easier read then Robert Ludlum. "Lighter" writing; more comprehensive story development.

The English Assassin is the first in the trilogy of Allon books revolving around events related to the Holocaust. This book provides all the thrills and angst one expects from the series, while informing the reader about the complicity of the Swiss regarding art thefts during the Nazi era. Ironically, the title character is the least interesting character in the novel.

This is my first Daniel Silva read. Excellent story line, good character development. I look forward to buying another Silva book!

I got hooked on Daniel Silva's writing with his latest book - The Secret Servant. I've done a lot of research into the politics and history of the Jewish people, Israel, Europe and the Middle East, and Silva's research is impeccable. His writing, too, is delicious - he has a way of painting a brilliant, detailed visual scene without bogging down his narrative, and that's a gift I wish more writers had. I haven't finished the English Assassin yet, but it delves into some of the most embarrassing truths about even "neutral" European nations' involvement in the theft of Jewish treasures during the Nazi era. The historical detail, woven into a tightly paced international thriller, makes for a fascinating read!

This book has been in my TBR pile for over a decade and it should have stayed there. While there is a part of me that doesn't want to give an author who'd obviously labored over this novel and padded it with a bunch of useless information and side stories that never go anywhere such a low rating, the other part simply can't ignore the fact this novel was one the most boring reads I've read in years. Usually when I give a rating like this it's because of sloppy work or undeveloped storylines. The thing is, I think the author did think this out. And while the idea of someone falling in love with a ghost is appealing, the author failed to capitalize on the drama and problems that would surround such a notion. Eighteen pages devoted to telling the different kind of wood furnishing her house??? A whole chapter telling me how her 'Li'l Sister' sings and people can hear it? WTF?
Starting off, Lena MacPherson is a totally unrelatable character. She's just so perfect that EVERYBODY relies on her for everything. She spends most her days being the town's band-aid and then still have time to run businesses. Sure I get the message is for her to start taking care of herself-but this message shouldn't taken so long to get. No one could do what this character was supposedly able to do. The backstories would come in at weird times and there is no meaning or purpose to them. She literally beats you over the head with the ghosts name being symbolic. There should have been more of a fight with Anna Belle. I wanted to know the consquences of her mother burning the caul-thingy. Something in the neighbor that could be described as 'compelling'. There was so much I didn't like about this book that it would take another book to explain it all. Just suffice to say-this was one BORING book about nothing.

this book is (as the kids say) off the chain!!!!!!!!!!!!excellent reading. i've read it cover to cover about 3 times and will start again.

I read the hand i fan with summer of 2004 after two sistahs mentioned the books to me - they didn't recommended it they just asked if i had read it. i remember reading the back cover & thinkin': yeah right....a ghost, she's sleeping with a ghost! has it gotten that bad? i agree that Ansa was a little bit overly descriptive but its still a damn good book and i highly recommend it! you know a book is powerful when you are crying - this book had me crying when you know what happened....Ansa put a foot in that book and did beautiful things w/ words....Keep doin' the damn thang!

This wonder love story is one you may never forget because every woman who reads this book will wish for a Hermon in her life.

To say to much would spoil the read. Enjoy!!!

I could not finish the book it was too descriptive about the wrong things and the "love story" with a friggin ghost was too over the top for me. Simply awful!!!

Having just reread the original P&P (for perhaps the seventh time? I frequently reread books) AND seen the 2-hour Cliff Notes Knightley-MacFadyen version movie (not as terrible as the purists say), I wanted a little more and picked up Mr Darcy's Diary as a companion piece. I read it through easily as the language is much more modern and found it following the original very closely. THere is very little new of substance here, the main difference being the change of perspective. However, I found that I liked this Darcy. As an adjunct to the original, when one cannot get enough of the story, it's adequate. It won't be a permanent addition to my library, though.

As Jane Austen seems to always tell her tales from the woman's point of view, it is a real treat to see the story from a man's perspective. I enjoyed reading this book!

A great read, written in today's English. Such an interesting look into our dreamy Darcy's thought process. A great addition for those of us who love the book and the movie.

Great book to read if you are fun of P&P. Very realistic look at Darcy's side of the story. It is very impressive how much the writer captured from the original book, and put it together in a way that no one can object very much. I enjoyed a lot when I read.

I fell in love with the novel Pride and Prejudice and like most readers, I was not ready to let go of Lizzy and Darcy just yet. After reading several reviews of this novel, I decided to buy and read. I was very pleased. Its like picking up Pride and Prejudice for the very first time but reading it from Darcy's point of view. And personally, I thought the last paragraph was absolutely wonderful. Theres no better way to end a book!