Customer Reviews

Daybreak

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

 

 

Margaret and Arthur Crawfield are devastated to learn from a doctor that their terminally ill son, Peter is not really their child. Blood tests have proven that Peter cannot possibly be related to the Crawfords. Since Peter was born in a small clinic, they set upon a quest to find the one other baby boy who was born at the clinic the day Peter was born.

Their search leads them to Laura and Bud Rice, an affluent couple with two sons. The younger son, Tim is chronically ill like Peter. Tom, the older of the two is involved in a clandestine chapter of the KKK with Bud. Tom's girlfriend, Robbie is an ardent Nazi and believes "Mein Kampf" to be gospel instead of hateful propaganda. She and Tom share bigotry and she declares that she "went political" at an early age; being "political" is her euphemism for espousing bigotry and hate.

The two families meet, Tom's confusion reaches a head...the Crawfields are Jewish! Tom has to accept his natural heritage and yet, he isn't sure about the bigotry that Bud taught him. This story emphasizes the nature v. nurture controversy. Bigotry is not a congenital condition. It is a learned condition. As for Tom, which side does he choose? His natural Jewish heritage or the learned bigotry? And Robbie? Where does she fit into this? The plot does thicken and the story is compelling.

I personally like Belva Plain's writing a lot, ...The story was very touching, and Belva Plain expressed the emotions very well of waht others would do in that situation finding out that one of your children isn't your 'biological' child after all. She wrote with feeling through the whole book, and the ending was very well done with all the characters. An excellent read if you ask me!

Belva Plain came through once again. A very touching and emotional story about two boys switched at birth. The story was well written with lots of twists and turns. Definitely a page turner.

I was surprised to see such negative reviews! It definitely held my attention and I am recommending it to my book club. I think there is a lot to talk about after reading this book What would YOU do in this situation?

This is an excellent book. Join Harry and his friends to unlock the secret of the department of mysteries in the Ministry of Magic, and come with dumbledore to fight Voldemort, and come to learn that one of the most dearest characters is dead. If you read this you will be in a world of fantasy and mystery, read this, and you will never want it to end.

I admit, this is my first Belva Plain book and possibly my last, but since a good friend loaned it to me, I gave it a try. The storyline on the cover didn't appeal to me, bigotry and hate divided two families. Okay. The characters seem shallow and confused in their own lives and then pass that confusion on. Tom is a boy so dedicated to his younger brother Timmy and his girlfriend Robbie, but only bends to his mother's wishes out of sympathy and pity for her. His father is a domineering man who pushes Tom to follow in the beliefs of his dad while belittleing his mother. The Crawfields seem like good people and they seem like the most honest characters in the book.

Overall, not a book I'd recommend.

I loved Evergreen but not this one by Belva...if you like tight little endings wrapped up in a bow - this one's for you...not me - UGH!

It's a typical Belva Plain book if you ask me. Her characters are dispicable and you never really feel like you are understanding them or that you can relate to them at all. It was an okay story but the characters were just so out of reach. Some elements in the story were to unbelievable as well and the end of the story has a surprising but overwhelmingly unbelievable end. Otherwise just another sad story about the horrible prejudices of the world.

WHEN BLOOD TESTS PROOF THAT MARGRET AND ARUTHER CRAWFIELD'S DYING SON PETER, WAS NOT BORN TO THEM THEY DISCOVER THERE WAS A BIG HOSPITAL MIX UP AND THAT THERE BIOLOGECAL CHILD STILL LIVES. HEARTBROKEN AS THEY ARE THEY BEGEN TO SEARCH FOR THERE REAL CHILD.

MEANWHILE IN THE RICE FAMALLY LARUA RICE DISCOVERS THAT AFTER 19 YEARS OF MARRIGE SHE AND HER HUSBEND BUD ARE PERFECT STRANGERS. THEY HAVE TWO SONS, 19 YEAR OLD HANDSOME TOM AND 11-YEAR OLD ILL TIMMY. LAURA BELIVES THAT TOM IS INVOLVED IN A GROUP OF CAMPUS BIGOTS. SUDDENLY THE CRAWFIELDS ENTER THERE LIVES AND CLAIM TOM BELONGS TO THEM. BUD IS VERY PREJUDEST AND HE IS MAD BECAUSE THE CRASWFIELDS ARE JEWS. SUDDENLY THE TWO FAMILLY'S ARE ENTARD INTO A WOURLD OF HATRED AND VIOLIENCE

We have two teenage daughters who have a difficult time understanding bigotry and how pervasive it is. I had first heard "Daybreak" on NPR's "Radio Reader." I loved it then and bought it and read it several years ago. The other night at supper we were trying to explain bigotry and how it is handed down for generations. I thought of "Daybreak" and had them read it.

Being northerners we were sheilded from most racism. Neither my husband nor I remember racism or antisemitism as issues when we were growing up in small towns in Minnesota.

Besides being a wonderful story "Daybreak" sheds alot of light on small-town southern American towns and how attitudes are inherited.

"Daybreak" remains one of my favorite books.