Customer Reviews

1 Last Dance

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I just finished the paperback edition of One Last Dance and wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. This was truly a remarkable book. I couldn't put it down but at the same time I didn't want to finish it. I loved the three sisters and how they rose to meet the challenges of life and death. I must admit Daphne and Kitty were my favorites. It will always amaze me at the things we are willing to do for love.

I've been a fan of yours since Garden of Lies but I must admit until One Last Dance, my favorite has been Thorns of Truth. I am awaiting the release of the paperback edition of The Second Silence.

do you love good old fashioned family sagas with fascinating female characters and a touch of mystery??? if so, then this is the summer book for you!!! the book starts with an amazingly beautiful cover and an intriguing story unfolds inside.... characters are marvelous and completely developed... you feel as though you've known them forever! this is one book that you think that you've got it figured out but then it hits with a total shocker!!! if you've never read eileen's books before, this one will send you running back to the bookstore for more.......try 'such devoted sisters' and the incredible saga 'garden of lies' and its sequel, 'thorns of truth'.....you'll be soooooo glad you did!!!

Eileen Goudge comes through again! One Last Dance gives the reader the opportunity to explore 4 women's lives as the result of a tragic situation - wife murders husband!! I'm giving away no secret. The murder occurs at the outset and sets the other events into motion. The daughters of Lydia have to come to grips with her incomprehensible act while trying to keep their own lives from falling apart. Each daughter, Amanda,a novelist, Kitty, the owner of a tea room, and Alex, a realtor, has problems unknown to the others that need resolution. They also have secrets which are the key to understanding their mother's action. While traveling the road to answers, each in their own way, and examining some family friendships, the crux of the problem becomes apparent. As the sisters work through their grief and problems, they grow closer together and become less of a dysfunctional family and more loving and tolerant of the others' behavior and lifestyle. It was fun being part of the Seagraves' family for a few days of beach reading. My only disappointment and the reason for 4 stars was that I had the plot figured out long before the last chapters!

Imagine the shock of getting ready for your parent's 40th wedding anniversary only to recieve a call from your sister telling you that your mom shot your dad. The ensuing developments push all your petty personal concerns out of the way as you struggle to deal with the reality of your parent's marriage and splits your family. Daphne, Alex and Kitty, throughout the course of this novel realize what really matters in their life. They come to realize that each of them had their own disillusions about their parents and that they really weren't perfect. That realization forces the sisters to re-examine their current situations, and accept that blood really is thicker than water. I enjoyed reading this book. The situations that the sisters were placed in rang true for some, and a little hackneyed for others. There weren't any REAL surprises, especially if you have read other books by the author. But for a quick escape from your own life, this is probably a book for you.

As others have pointed out, it wasn't too hard to figure out what was going on. However, I don't think that was the main thrust of the book. The sisters, their lives, and their secrets were. The murder was simply the catalyst. It is interesting to see how these women pull together, and pull their lives together. I was struck by the idea that every child in the family sees their family history differently. It made me think about my own childhood, and how my siblings remember what I remember.

My only real problem was with the father. In order to do what we ultimately must believe he has done, he must have been, at best, a fool. He was an MD, too, which makes part of the secret more unbelievable to me. Suspecting what had happened, and then having it confirmed, I just hated this character and so had some trouble with those who were motivated by love for him. It's a small flaw, though. The book just isn't about him.

This book is a treat, a treasure, a charm! I couldn't get over how good it is! I've read all of EG's books in the order in which they were written (which means I haven't read "The Second Silence" or that bee-keeping nun series yet). This is the best of all so far! EG's writing style has improved (even though it was already excellent). With a combination of a good writing style and a good plot, this book was wonderful! EG has changed a little in this book, it was a little different from her previous books. It is the new and improved EG! Other than this book, I loved "Garden of Lies" and "Thorns of Truth" the best. One thing, however, that I do not like about EG, is that she is way too prolific and has way too much descriptive detail (she's doing a little better now, this book was a little shorter). It seems that she has replaced a lot of that descriptive detail with similes and metaphors, which I love. I have to be honest: when I first started "One Last Dance", it was boring, I had to put it down. I picked it back up months later, I think I was on Chapter 5 by then. It took me a few more chapters before the book started picking up. When I was about halfway through the book, it started getting good, and then better and better. It got to where it was hard to put down! Before it started getting good, though, I kept saying this is the last EG book I'll ever read, it is so boring, but I'll continue reading it, and I'll probably only give it 1 or 2 stars. But after the middle of the book, it got so good. All the pieces started fitting together. There were a couple of nice little treats in the book (I can't tell you what they were, don't want to ruin it for anyone.) The last half of the book was so good, I have to give it 5 stars. I was especially impressed with the infinite family love and devotion. The book had mostly happy endings. I was sad for Lydia and how she had to end.

This books deals with a tragic event that ends up changing the life of everyone that is involved.

The story captivates you from the beginning and the characters are so well defined you indentify immediately with them. This is a very emotional story and very easy to shed some tears while you read.

The only unpleasant comment I have about this book is that I could predict with some certainty the unfolding of the plot.

However, it makes for a great summer reading!

Absolutely wonderful! I could not put it down. This is a tangled web, magnificiently written, of a family and their struggles with life's decisions. It is easy to become intertwined with these situtations, in a way of holding your interest and wondering what will happen next. I loved this book. Eileen is a talented, above average author.

This book is about three sisters forced to face a terrible reality. There mother has just killed their father. She is refusing to say what happened. She only states that it was not an accident and it was not self defense. The sisters all have different reactions and different theories on the murder. And all are dealing with different relationship problems of their own. Daphne cannot forget an old flame. Alex is struggling to raise her daughters and make peace with her ex husband. Kitty is involved with a younger man and her quest for a baby is driving them apart. The book explores all of this along with the murder. Goudge is very talented in creating true to life characters and chilling scenes. What she needs to work on is the pace of her books. They have a tendency to be slow. Certain scenes are given too much explanation where it is not needed. If you can be patient, you will find this book to be a treat. If you take note of the clues in the book you will find out why the murder took place before it is stated in the book.

I had not read any of Eileen Goudge's work before, and this book blew me away! If you read a book to analyze all of the characters, motivation, etc. then yes, you will find some holes. But if you're like me and you read a book simply for the enjoyment and escape, this is one good book! I like the way Goudge examines each of the women separately, then brings them all together to resolve all of those suppressed emotions. Great read...share it with friends. I did!