Thorns of Truth [Hardcover]

Eileen Goudge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1998

In this moving sequel to the unforgettable Garden of Lies, Rose Santini Griffin and Rachel MacClanahan, now grown women with children of their own, are once again thrust into a head-on collision with the destiny that has haunted them since the two were switched at birth on the night of a catastrophic hospital blaze. Now they face the greatest challenge of their lives: the impending marriage of Rose's capable and thoughtful son to Rachel's emotionally fragile daughter, which threatens to divide both families forever--just as Rachel's dear mother, Sylvie, learns she is dying. Only Rose knows that Sylvie is in actuality her mother--and what she wants more than ever is to be loved and recognized as Sylvie's own. Now a widow coping with the loss of her beloved husband--yet powerfully attracted to a dynamic radio talk-show host--Rose turns to her mother for help. In frail health, but still strong in spirit, Sylvie is at long last forced to tear free from the tangled web woven by nearly half a century of lies and reveal a truth that must shatter the lives of both her daughters before it can begin to heal them. Sure to rival the success of the original, this spellbinding novel is the answer to the question readers around the world have been asking since the publication of Garden of Lies nearly a decade ago. In Thorns of Truth the heartrending tale that captivated millions is brought to full bloom at lastand it will leave bedside lamps everywhere burning long into the night.

* In stores for Mother's Day
* A future Signet lead paperback
* Over 3 million copies of Eileen Goudge's novels in print worldwide
* Over 1 million copies of Garden of Lies in print in hardcover and paperback
* Garden of Lies spent 2 months on the New York Times Bestseller List
* National advertising
* National publicity

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Two middle-aged women battle for family, career and love in this melodramatic continuation of the switched-at-birth saga that Goudge began in Garden of Lies (1989). Forty-six years after Sylvie Rosenthal abandoned Rose as a dark-haired newborn and stole blonde, blue-eyed baby Rachel to take her place, their lives are still intertwined, and Rachel still doesn't know the truth. Now Rose has problems of her own: her husband's death a year ago has left her with a law firm to manage; her stepdaughter is a drunk; and her eldest son, Drew, is planning to marry Rachel's mentally unstable daughter, Iris, against his mother's wishes. Rachel's life is starting to fray at the edges, too. Her job running a women's health clinic has caused a rift in her marriage to Brian, and, even medicated, Iris remains a constant worry. Goudge's moral in all this is that even the best-hidden secrets and lies undermine happiness. A corollary: once the truth outs, love and forgiveness ensue. While Goudge's narrative bogs down in overwrought description and an unmanageable cast, fans of the first installment will not be disappointed with this feel-good sequel. Doubleday Book Club and Literary Guild featured alternates.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

A sequel to the best-selling Garden of Lies, featuring two girls switched at birth who now have grown children.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; 1ST edition (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670879428
• ISBN-13: 978-1568657561
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,393,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born on the Fourth of July, and it's been fireworks ever since. I began writing at age eight, with short stories and poems, and I haven't looked back since. From the early days of mostly collecting rejection slips, I went on to publish thirty-two novels for young adults, thirteen (and still counting) of women's fiction, as well as numerous short stories and magazine articles, and one cookbook.

Often I'm asked where I get my ideas. Fortunately, I have a wealth of life experiences to draw from. Starting when I dropped out of college to get married, at age eighteen. Two years later I was divorced, with a baby son and no means of support. I ended up briefly on welfare, and stood in line for government surplus food. But every cloud has its silver lining, and this one led to my determination to make it as a professional writer. I borrowed a typewriter, and lacking a desk, plunked it down on the living room floor. The rest, as they say, is history.

Following a string of young adult novels, I published my first adult novel, GARDEN OF LIES, in 1986. The saga of baby girls switched at birth---one rich, the other poor---went on to enjoy a combined total of 16 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, in hardcover and paperback. Though there's no such thing as an overnight success, I felt like one, having gone in a matter of months from not knowing how I was going to pay the rent to wondering what I was going to do with all that money. The first thing I did was fulfill a fantasy born of years of wearing hand-me-downs: I walked into Saks Fifth Avenue and bought a dress...without even looking at the price tag!

I've since gone on to write many more novels. My most recent, which came out in June of '07, is WOMAN IN RED, a very special story about a woman just out of prison and a man struggling to get back on his feet after losing his wife on 9/11. Look for it in trade paperback in May of this year. I also have another hardcover coming out,in June, titled DOMESTIC AFFAIRS ---a Cinderalla story in reverse: Riches to rags but with a happy ending. I'll be posting sample chapters on my website at www.eileengoudge.com, so stay tuned. I would love to hear your comments once you've read the book! And, remember, there's always more where that came from...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging; couldn't put it down, March 1, 1999

By 

Terry Bennett - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thorns of Truth (Hardcover)

It was a long time to wait for the sequel to Garden of Lies (one of my personal favorites), but well worth it. Thorns of Truth picks up the story of Rose and Rachel many years later in their professional and personal lives frought with problems, decisions, joys and triumphs. It was interesting how the author wove their history into the story; a reader wouldn't have to read "Garden" necessarily to enjoy this book, but he/she would miss the wonderfully written introduction to this strange yet endearing family. The character of Sylvie throughout is just amazing - she continued to keep her SECRET until death is imminent and finally eased her conscience by devulging her past and acknowledging her child and ultimately breaking the hearts of her other child and her grandchildren. How they came to grips with the revelation and how they became stronger persons for it was interesting. Sylvie touched them all. I was sorry when I finished reading it, but I don't see it as final. The relationships of Drew and Iris, Eric and Rose, Brian and Rachel, Mandy and Robert and the ensuing problems in their lives could lead to a third book and I certainly hope this happens. Are you listening Eileen?

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sequel doesn't measure up, October 17, 1999

By 

"julesy" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thorns of Truth (Paperback)

I was anxious to read the sequel to GARDEN OF LIES, which is one of the greatest novels ever written in history. I was hoping for a novel of equal magnitude with THORNS OF TRUTH, but instead was left wondering "what happened"? Although it was wonderful to read how all the characters turned out over the years and to learn about their children's lives, too, I felt there was way too much written about past history of the original characters. Anyone who would have read this book knows that it's a sequel and it certainly was not necessary to practically repeat excerpts from GARDEN OF LIES over and over again. I felt that was an entire waste of redundant writing.

Although the novel wasn't very many pages, a great deal of the writing was very detailed, which grew tiresome. I would have liked more dialogue amongst the characters. There lacked a real plot other than the family try to deal with Drew and Iris's engagement. The best part of the book was Sylvie, who was weak from her ailment, but remained strong in character.

I'm glad I got this book from the library because otherwise I would have been disappointed to waste my money on the book. It could have been a lot better but Ms. Goudge's chose a different route instead. This will not prevent me from reading any future novels by Ms. Goudge but I hope they will be of better content that this one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Would've been better if I'd read the first book, May 3, 2000

By 

Anne M. Marble "Anne" (MD, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thorns of Truth (Paperback)

I never read "Garden of Lies," so it was hard to get into "Thorns of Truth" at first. I had to untangle the "switched at birth" relationships of the first book, and then figure out the new relationships that were emerging in this book. Once I figured out all the relationships, though, the book got quite interesting.

I have a gripe about a minor character -- Sister Alice, the overly strict Catholic school principal. How did she get away without teaching sex ed? I went to Catholic school in the 1970s, and they *had* to teach us sex ed.

I gave this book a B+ at All About Romance.