Customer Reviews

The Road Taken

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Road Taken is a page-turner. I picked the book up on Friday and resurfaced on Sunday evening after reading non-stop all weekend. This book tells the story of a family over the course of the 20th century. Through the telling of this engulfing story (and it would seem a sizable amount of research) this novel sheds light on the fascinating developments of our past century. A great read, fun and smart - I felt a little sad when I finished the book, this rich and absorbing story had become a part of my life. I would highly recommend this book!

On January 1, 1900, Rose Smith is born. Over the next few years, Rose enjoys her childhood in Bristol, Rhode Island, but when she turns ten her mother dies. No one, her father William, her older sister Maude, or her stepmother Celia can fill the hole in Rose's heart.

World War I accelerates Rose's growth towards womanhood when the Army drafts her first love, Tom Sainsbury. Tom wants to go overseas, but stays at Fort Riley, Kansas where he dies from influenza.

Several years later, Ben Carson, knowing Rose does not love him, marries her anyway. The move to Greenwich Village, where her gay younger brother joins them. Ben and Rose have children, whose lives continue to be impacted by international events like World War II, polio, the Cold War, and the AIDs epidemic.

Best selling author Rona Jaffe has taken a dangerous road that could have led to monster failure with a lesser talent. Instead, she has written incredible twentieth century historical fiction that uses personal tragedy to mirror major world events. The story line centers on Rose and her family by contrasting the headlines with the impact on the individual and their loved ones. Though it may take a village to raise a family, Ms. Jaffe demonstrates in her entertaining novel that it takes a family to raise the human spirit out of the ashes of calamity.

Harriet Klausner

I read this book a couple of months ago and I absolutely loved it. I really got involved in the characters lives. I couldn't put it down. I tell all my family and friends about it. I was very disheartened to see all the bad reviews on this book. I am happy to say that I don't agree with a lot of the reviews.

After reading just 2 of her books, Rona Jaffe has shot up to my second all time favorite author. I didn't think it could get better than 'The Best Of Everything'...but I was wrong.

This book, which covers the 100 years of Rose Glover's life, is one of the best books I've ever read, and I've read a lot. We meet Rose at age 10 in the year 1910, after her mother's death. And we follow her straight to the year 1999. We follow her life, and the lives of her brother, step-mother, 3 daughters, and their offspring. This books covers so much, that's it's hard to sum up in a little review.

I absolutely recommend this read. Those who like family sagas will LOVE it, and those interested in years past will really take to how clearly Ms. Jaffe paints a picture of life in those days. I look forward to the rest of Ms. Jaffe's books, and can't wait to get to the library to check out the next one!

I'm happy to say that Rona's done it again. Her books never fail to be anything short of entertaining...drawing me in, so much so that I almost feel as if I'm part of this family. The characters are very real, flawed and quirky, just like family members we all know,love, and despise. There are unexpected twists and turns, but not so many or bizarre that they're unrealistic. This is a story about a family that spans the generations...a very good read and one that was virtually impossible for me to put down.

A similar book by Rona that was also very good, another generational saga, but involving friends is "The Room Mating Season". I highly recommend that one as well.

Rona's quickly become one of my favorite authors. Happy reading!!

I waited anxiously for Rona Jaffe's latest book. It was a good read and I finished it in less than 1 day. Although not as interesting as her other books, this title spanned a century in a family of strong women. We learn about their loves and losses, their victories and defeats. I became deeply involved with each character and was sad to see the book end. If you are a Jaffe fan, DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK.

I loved this book! It could have been anyone's family, I agree, but it was a trip in time. The author took you through a time capsule with her references to historical happenings and historical inventions. With each time period I was remembering where I was during that time period and how old I was. Even though it started well before I was born, it related to times in history that my family spoke of.

I loved Jaffe's characters. She touched on all kinds of different scenarios and personalities in this family. She was proving that no family is spared from tragedy or joys.

I found the book to be a very fast read, probably because you really didn't want to put it down. I was sorry it ended. It is nice to know that a story can be told and keep your attention without violence and sex. I have been telling everyone about this book. It has to be one of the best reads I have had for a long time. What a delightful change!!

I read "Five Women" which I thought was ok, so I decided to read this. First I want to know how any of Jaffe's books become Best Sellers on the New York Times Best Seller List? Her writing style is like that of an eighth grader (eighth graders write better). I had a hard time connecting to the characters, because I feel Jaffe did not develop them well, the characters were not believable.

I basically read this book so I could finish it and get on to something more challenging.

I was sorry to learn of Rona Jaffe's death recently. I was waiting impatiently for a new book when I looked her up online and found out she had died several years ago.

So, I've started to re-read her books, and today I finished "The Road Taken." I was completely absorbed in the book. It is entertaining and sometimes quite moving. The story centers around Rose, her gay brother Hugh, and Rose's children, and grandchildren. There are many ancillary characters sprinkled throughout the book -- after all the book spans 100 years, and I found that I forgot about many of these minor characters until they popped up again in passing.

Jaffe's most interesting character is Hugh, Rose's homosexual brother, who internalizes many of society's negative messages about gay men and even tries aversion therapy before accepting himself for who he is and meeting the love of his life. Secondly, I found the character of Celia, Rose's and Hugh's step-mother, to be exceptional as well. Jaffe creates her most vivid female characters when writing about the anti-heroine.

I don't think this is Jaffe's best book, and I plan to re-read them all now that I know there will be no new work forthcoming. The characterizations, except for a few exceptions, are thin constructions. But her ability to tell a good story never wavers.

The Road Taken was such a great story and interesting account of the 1900's it is now being passed around amongst my friends. Everyone that has read this novel has fallen in love, not only with Rose with whom the storyline is based, but also with every one of her family members. Each personality bears some familiarance with someone I know, or would easily like to know. Although there are many pages, it is a quick read. It is page-turner and a tearjerker at moments, but mostly it is a story of heart. Through the generations the author recounts so much about the different time periods the reader gains a better more humane history about America's past. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in their country's past through interesting character's that have the power to bring you there.