Customer Reviews

To My Daughter in France

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

 

 

I picked this book up in an American bookstore in France. I am so glad I did. The writing is superb, mixing 1970's with flash backs to the 40's during WWII when German forces occupy France. You will love the characters and what shaped their lives. There are secrets, passion, death, heroism, and intrigue. I couldn't put it down. It is a must read!

This is a wonderful book. I will definitely read it again. I lent it to so many friends.
Loved it.

I've read all three of their books and they are all fabulous!! They are captivating.

I was waiting for a friend for lunch and killing time. I went into the local bookstore and was looking for a new summer read, I noticed the lineup of books on tables were mostly in my library of books I've read, or books still in my pile waiting to be read

I asked the owner if the books on the table facing up were the "NEW READS" for the summer and he said yes. They were all popular.

I told him of my likes and dislikes among them and I of course pointed to Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and said I loved it, I then went on and mentioned I also just finished her new book Ape House.
He looked at me and asked how I liked Ape House. I said I enjoyed it, that it was a quick read and perfect for the summer. We discussed how the overall consensus of reviews was just average.
I told him I had read the reviews and that most readers compared it to Elephants and it just did not meet Sara Gruen high standards, but if you had not read her previous book, this would have been an enjoyable story and subject line. Light reading for sure.

He suggested I might like For my Daughter in France.

So I took his advice and bought it.

I started reading and won't get in the total plot here, but can tell you that after ¼ way through I was wondering why I didn't stop and return to the bookstore and complain of this recommendation.. I don't give up on books so keep plowing away.
This book does strikes me as the equivalent of a Harlequin novel, which I have read only once when I was in my tweens.

The story line of For my Daughter in France jumps from one plot to predictable plot. With the two main charaters having no spine whatsoever. Midway through it gets some depth and delves a little deeper into WWII atrocities. But becomes so muddled by subplots and the love affairs between so many characters that it does no justice to the actual suffering of the Jews, political prisioners, gypsies, and "THE OTHERS".

I am stuck with this book and cannot recommend it to anyone.
I am truly at a loss of what to do with my copy.

This book was recommended by a friend who likes the same novels I do. She couldn't lend it to me because she found it at a vacation rental so I ordered it from Amazon.

I enjoyed the book very much. I especially liked learning about the Nazi occupation of France in WWII. I had no idea there were such atrocities and hardship.

If you like love stories that aren't "schmaltzy" and enjoy learning about history in a fictional setting, you will like this novel.

This is a really good read, with a number of sub-plots. The story of students in Paris and the mysterious background of the Resistance movement in France during the 2nd World War to the vineyards of France and life in England it moved quickly and was a joy to read! would be an excellent e-book.