Customer Reviews

Facets

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Very good Book:
John St.George shows us what can happen to a person who is on this earth only to fill his own ego, exercise his pride in himself and strive to please his father by measuring up to his father's expectations. He hurts everyone who gets in his path to get what he wants. In the end, Pam, Hillary, Cutter and Patricia show him where his evil, self-centered ways have gotten him.

Each character was developed very well. By the middle of the book, I felt I knew each of them in a personal way. Each had their strong points and their weak points; except for John. I never did find anything good about him unless one wants to count drive and ambition as an asset. Ambition is all right John just directed it the wrong way.

Basically, this story is about lives & loves ruined by oneman's ruthless obsession for power. John St. George's failure inwinning his father's love/respect (& vice-versa) turned him into a control freak with a twisted mind. His jealous rage made him victimize his half-sister Pam--who was everyone's darling, & her lover Cutter Reid--the 'nobody' whom his father was so proud of. But a person can only take so much before wanting revenge...and doing something to make it happen.

In all fairness, the story had its moments 'cuz it made me cry--I really felt for Pam's predicament. While the histories that went into each major character were very detailed, there wasn't much specific info on tourmaline, mining, or the jewelry-making industry, except for some vague generalizations. Elizabeth Lowell's "Lover in the Rough" provided a lot more insights & depth of feeling.

A word of caution: 'This ain't no fairy-tale.' So if, like me, you read romances mainly for escapism, this one ain't for you.

This was the fourth Barbara Delinsky book I have read. And I have not been let down yet. John St. George is a ruthless villain you can't help but hate. This book is full of emotion. It makes you feel for the characters. I couldn't put it down.

This was a wonderful heartwarming story of a family. Easy reading , I could not put it down until I finished it. Barbara Delinsky is an excellent author and I enjoy all of her books.

It is very irritating to purchase a book---and this is the more expensive hardcover!!!! --- and then find out it is a reprint. So, beware!

I loved this book. I immediatly felt like I knew the characters. I was heartbroken when Eugene was killed. I was apalled by the things John did to his family and "friends". I loved the tenderness and true love that Pam and Cutter had for one another. I loved that Cutter rose up from being a street kid to a success. I truly loved this book. And I just picked it up by chance while milling around the books at Target. I will definitely read more of Barbara Delinsky's books.

Like the gems that make up the business that lies at the heart of this story, the facets that comprise each stone also represent the various characters who form the dynamics of this tale of hunger, ambition, power, and revenge; the story may be a familiar one, but at the same time, it unfolds in new and intriguing ways.

Facets portrays the secrets, the betrayals, and depicts the long and winding trail that ultimately leads to freedom. It begins in a mining town in Maine, but sweeps across the landscape to cities like Boston and New York. It spans three decades and is as much a family drama as a tale of ambition, greed, and achievement.

When the head of the mining company, Eugene St. George, dies tragically, his son John takes over control of the company and the lives of his stepmother Patricia and his minor half-sister Pamela. As he exerts his power over those who are defenseless to act against him, he sets in motion a chain of events that will take decades to unleash.

Characters like Hillary Cox and Cutter Reid are pitted against John St. George, who has controlled "Facets," the empire, for so long that he truly believes nothing can touch him. His younger half-sister Pam fears the power he has over her life, and dreams of finally escaping his control. His bullying and manipulation have finally taken their toll on his victims, so whatever happens next could be poetic justice.

What will Pam St. George do to finally wrest free of her powerful and tyrannical half-brother? Will she finally win the love of her life before it is too late? And how will John react to the carefully wrought plans of his enemies? Will Hillary's obsession and love/hate relationship with John be her undoing, or will the actions of the others finally release her?

Throughout the story, I believed in the characters and their strengths; they were that real. I sometimes felt frustration with Hillary and her obsession with John, but considering her history, it was understandable. I most empathized with Pam, whose very existence depended upon the maneuverings and whims of a man who apparently had no conscience. But at other times, the author showed various other facets to these characters, making them true-to-life, with good as well as bad qualities.

I liked the way the story opened in the "present," which in this book was 1990, but then swept backward in time. As it moved backward and forward, new layers were revealed, adding depth to the story and the characters.

In some ways, the story seemed to meander along a bit, which is why I chose four stars. I still would recommend it for anyone who loves a good family/business saga.

I liked this book but it is not up to Barbara's usual high standards.
I continue to read her stories as she has become a supreme story teller and I always learn something in each book.

Definitely not a typical romance novel. All the characters seemed very real and human most of all. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it when I first started to read it but I was completely engrossed after a couple chapters. I think that happens with every single Barbara Delinsky novel I read.
Hillary had to be the most "real" character. I still can't believe she loved John despite of everything.

What else can I say. I have never been disappointed with a Barbara
Delinsky book. Enjoyable! Excellent.