Customer Reviews

Rich Are Different

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Howatch puzzles me, her novels look like run of the mill pulp fiction best sellers to judge by the covers but once you start to read them you discover a formidable intelligance. Why doesn't this author have the reputation her skills entitle her to, she is easly up there with Drabble, Murdoch and other Doyens of the British novel.

This book was recommended to me by a friend. It took me a while to actually pick it up and start reading it, but three pages in, I knew I was hooked.

Other reviews mention that this book is a modern re-telling of the story of Cleopatra's affairs with Caesar and Antony, so I won't go into that too much here, except to add that it's a neat conceit, and Howatch works these plot details into the novel flawlessly. There were several moments when I smiled or chuckled to myself when I noticed something I remembered from I, Claudius or The Lives of the Caesars.

However, even if you don't know or don't care about ancient history, this is a gripping, surprisingly fast-paced, incredibly well-written novel. Dinah Slade is a fascinating woman in her own right, rather than a mere shadow of one of history's most infamous characters. Ditto Paul Van Zale, Steve Sullivan, and Cornelius, all of whom leap off the page and seem right at home in the America and England of the early 20th century. The men and women who populate the world of the novel are driven by the same things that drive us: greed, pride, love, lust, ambition, the need for security, and the hope of a better life for their children.

To me, the most fascinating aspect of the book, and the one that might have been the easiest thing for Howatch to mess up, is the fact that the story is divided into six sections, each narrated by a different character (Dinah Slade gets two.) The varying personalities all come to life, giving us sometimes overlapping accounts of the plot line, all of which add up to one heck of a great story.

I just read that the saga continues in The Sins of the Fathers, which I'm going to purchase right now.

I've ready this book about 6 times for the past 10 years and it always delights. It didn't hit me, until I started studying ancient Rome that it is the very story of Caesar and Cleopatra, but set in Wall Street, New York (as powerful as ancient Rome!) The story begins identical to the first meeting of Caesar and Cleopatra...just as Cleopatra was brought to Caesar rolled in a carpet and carried by her faithful servant...so is Diana Slade brought to Paul Van Zale concealed in a cart and rolled in by her trusty Geoffry. Paul's wife is barren, just as history says that Caesar's wife Calpurnia was barren. Guess what else? Paul has epilepsy - who else can you think of that historians believe ALSO had epilepsy? Paul's right-hand man Steve is described exactly as Marc Antony...burly, surly and with dynamic charm - guess what? Diana and Steve find an even greater love than Diana and Caesar...oops I mean Paul Van Zale...Paul is assasinated by the son of his ex-mistress (If you know your history...you know that Brutus is the son of Caesar's ex-mistress Servilia...) Paul leaves his fortune to his cunning, clever, sickly nephew Cornelius. Who also mirrors Octavian (Augustus Caesar in later years) Octavian becomes Diana's bitter enemy and vows to take from her the one thing that she holds most dear...Mallingham her ancestral home... Just as Octavian vowed to take Egypt from Cleopatra. Steve is hounded by Cornelius much as Antony was hounded by Octavian and finally dies a virtual suicidal death...When Cornelius tries to take Diana back to New York (mmmh, seems to me that Octavian wanted to bring Cleo to Rome...) Diana gets the last laugh. Paul's son also dies in his early years just as Caesarian did. Paul's only daughter Vicky married Paul's enemy just as Caesar married his daughter to Pompei...and Guess what? She dies during her pregnancy just as Julia did! I can go on and on, but you get the picture. In my youth, I considered this a truly original masterpiece...but I now know that the entire story is the most famous in history and that it did not come from Ms. Howatch's incredibly imaginitive mind. It does not mean this book isn't worth reading...It Is!! We'll just have to forgive her for borrowing from history. I have ready many of her books and they are all wonderful. I usually read them many times.

I read this book in 1977 & still remember it as a great book. It is quite long, 658 pages but it is very hard to put down. It is intertaining & interesting. I know I will be reading it over & over again.

This is the story of the struggle for wealth and power in the 1920's. The impact of the depression on "high society" is made more understandable than any History lesson. The story is enhanced by Susan Howatch's style of changing the character telling the story at each plot climax. The family and events in this book are continued in "The Sins of the Fathers", also excellent reading.

The book traces wih unmatched truthfullness the decadence nature of our society. It demonstrates with painfull emotions the hopeless pursuit of materials success that we daily engage in, the trappings our lifes has became and the ensuing tragedies that must envitably result.

I love Susan Howatch. I have read all of the Church of England series plus Cashelmara. This book speaks through the voice of several characters. It is well done and effective. It shows that how people perceive an individual, versus the actual character of the individual, varies greatly. This novel covers an interesting period the 20s-- through the stock market crash and into the Depression. The ending is satisfying and definitely not what this reader expected. I highly recommend this and all of Howatch's writings.

I first read this book over 20 years ago. I remember keeping it because it was soooo good. Over the years, however, I forgot what the story was about. I only remembered after the main character was discovered to be sick, I couldn't put the book down! I decided to take it off the shelf and read it again, and I was not disappointed! I'm esctastic that I kept it. I ordered a copy to send to my sister for her book club's consideration.The eerie thing about this book is how the backdrop of the storyline parallels what's going on in our society today. If this book was made into a movie, it would be up for an Oscar!

One of my favorite novels of all times. It's definitely escapist literature but it's much better written than Mary Higgins Clark, etc. It takes you into a different world and shows you that even with more money than you could ever spend everything isn't perfect.

I've ready this book about 6 times for the past 10 years and it always delights. It didn't hit me, until I started studying ancient Rome that it is the very story of Caesar and Cleopatra, but set in Wall Street, New York (as powerful as ancient Rome!) The story begins identical to the first meeting of Caesar and Cleopatra...just as Cleopatra was brought to Caesar rolled in a carpet and carried by her faithful servant...so is Diana Slade brought to Paul Van Zale concealed in a cart and rolled in by her trusty Geoffry. Paul's wife is barren, just as history says that Caesar's wife Calpurnia was barren. Guess what else? Paul has epilepsy - who else can you think of that historians believe ALSO had epilepsy? Paul's right-hand man Steve is described exactly as Marc Antony...burly, surly and with dynamic charm - guess what? Diana and Steve find an even greater love than Diana and Caesar...oops I mean Paul Van Zale...Paul is assasinated by the son of his ex-mistress (If you know your history...you know that Brutus is the son of Caesar's ex-mistress Servilia...) Paul leaves his fortune to his cunning, clever, sickly nephew Cornelius. Who also mirrors Octavian (Augustus Caesar in later years) Octavian becomes Diana's bitter enemy and vows to take from her the one thing that she holds most dear...Mallingham her ancestral home... Just as Octavian vowed to take Egypt from Cleopatra. Steve is hounded by Cornelius much as Antony was hounded by Octavian and finally dies a virtual suicidal death...When Cornelius tries to take Diana back to New York (mmmh, seems to me that Octavian wanted to bring Cleo to Rome...) Diana gets the last laugh. Paul's son also dies in his early years just as Caesarian did...I can go on and on, but you get the picture. In my youth, I considered this a truly original masterpiece...but I now know that the entire story is the most famous in history and that it did not come from Ms. Howatch's incredibly imaginitive mind. It does not mean this book isn't worth reading...It Is!! We'll just have to forgive her for borrowing from history. I have ready many of her books and they are all wonderful. I usually read them many times.