Customer Reviews

Granny Dan (Danielle Steel)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

I read all of the reviews on Amazon before buying and they weren't to good, but I bought the book anyway because the story sounded good. I am glad I wen't ahead and bought. If I didn't I would have missed one of the most perfectly satisfying novels I have ever read. After reading Zoya I wanted a book that has more about the Russian Revolution. I thought that Danielle Steel would never write one again on the subject. Yet she did. People said this book was just like Zoya, but it wasn't. It had it's own unique qualities. There never was a dull moment in the book. It had action, love, sadness, and remembrance all rapped together amongst the pages. I think so many people who gave this book a bad review didn't sit and pay attention to the beautiful words. Words that made a sweet lullabuy in my head. This novel is utter perfection in my opinion. SO many people seemed to offend people who liked this novel. How could someone not. I am now not going to listen to the reviews shared on Amazon but decide myself if I would like the book. This book is a perfect book to read again and again. It is one to save and cherish. While reading the book remember to savor each and every satisfying word and let the story create the symphony in your mind, just like it created in mine. From an avid reader buy Granny Dan.

Dancing on the coattails of history, Danielle Steele's Granny Dan is a sweeping saga based on the true life story of her grandmother.

As a young woman, Granny Dan was the leading young ballerina in pre-communist Russia, which in that society, would have been similar to being Julia Roberts in our own country today. She charms the Russian royal family, especially the czar's young son, and is admitted into their inner circle.

Torn between the disciplined life of a dancer in a strict ballet school and the fairy tale-like existance at the czar's summer home, the young woman must make painful choices.

An illness causes her to become very close to her physician, a man in a loveless marriage and they fall deeply in love. So much so that Steel's grandmother keeps all his letters with her until she dies. Steel bases her book on the letters, which she had translated.

Marrying her grandmother's real-life story with her masterful fiction-writing techniques, Steel presents a powerful tale of star-crossed lovers, strong characters who are real and believable. Their passion for each other is played out against the backdrop of history.

We are given a taste of what life in czarist Russia was like, and it is as if we travel back in time with the characters. With the coming of the communist revolution, their world is forever lost.

This ultimately tragic story is a haunting one, which will stay with you long after you've read the last page.

I am not a romance fan. However, I've read a few of Danielle Steel's books and enjoyed them. Granny Dan was no exception. The story took place in the midst of World War I and the Russian Revolution. Danina Petroskova was brought to the Maryinksi Ballet when she was seven years old, while her family fought in the war. Frightened at first, she learned to love her new home and became obsessed with being a prima ballerina. At nineteen, she was stricken with the influenza virus which almost killed her. She survived it and was sent to live with the Czar and his family to recuperate. There, she falls in love with her doctor, Nikolai Obrajensky, who is married with children. That, their stations in life, and the war-ravaged world threaten to destroy their relationship.The reason I give this book a four star review? Because two thirds of the way into it, the story becomes repetitive. Should I leave and go with this man or should I stay with the ballet? I tore through the pages thinking, "Let's get on with it, already!"But then the story takes a climatic turn, forcing her into action. Granny Dan is a story within a story. The prologue involves Danina's granddaughter, who discovers her love letters in a box, among other things. The epilogue deals with what happened to Nikolai, her father and remaining brother, her mentor. Some of you might want to keep a box of kleenex handy.

I love Danielle Steel's books, at least I used to. I couldn't wait until a new one came out. Lately, I have been very disappointed in her style.

Granny Dan was a very slow moving, boring book. I forced myself to read it, as I finish a book when I start one. It was hard to do so though.

What happened to the Danielle Steel of a few years back? We want her back!!!

I've told others not to waste their time reading this book. Hopefully Danielle will pick up her writing like she used to do. Is she trying to publish too many books, and therefore, not putting her "all" into them individually?

Sorry Danielle, but this one is very lacking.

A dissappointed fan....

I absolutely loved this book. It contained a story of love, loss, hope, and every other feeling of love. Danielle did a fabulous job with this book...Defidently a great buy!

I found this book to be a wonderful love story. I loved it! I had read some of the reviews, but decided to read it for myself and boy was I glad I did. It is a short story and an easy read. Try it for yourself. This is a true love story.

This is my first time to read something for Danielle Steel. I liked the novel very much, it was short (in terms of pages) but full of passion and romantic events that would make your heart feel so warm.

It is a romantic story for romantic people. Read it!

I have read some of the customer reviews and I totally disagree with most of them. This is my first Danielle Steele book, and I think it is excellent! I thought it was sad about Nikolai and Danina, but I think that DS did a good job in portraying the emotions of the characters. I felt what the characters felt. Unfortunately I finished the book at school so I couldn't cry over it, but I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an insightful, quick read.

This is another book that DS manages to put us "there". You will be in this girls shoes, you will cry for her, cheer, smile. What a great journey.

I really enjoyed this book. The story she weaves really kept my attention and interest in the characters. I like Danielle Steel, but at times her books can seem "alike". Granny Dan was different. It took different twists. I loved the Geneological aspect. Made me wonder what my grandparents were like as young people.