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Title: The Cottage by Danielle Steel ISBN: 0385335520 Publisher: Delacorte Press Pub. Date: 26 February, 2002 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.93
Rating: 5
Summary: My opinion? This is the greatest novel written in English
Comment: Yes, that is a strong statement, but I believe THE COTTAGE to be the best novel written in English. And English is a rich language, overflowing with worthy works from both sides of the Atlantic, India and beyond. The only novel as a close contender on my list is Jane Eyre, with its fearsome symmetry and romantic passion.
Danielle Steel has been the bane of students everywhere who suffer reading LEAP OF FAITH in high school. But later on, you, like me, may develop a taste for the classics and this book will reward you richly.
The first few chapters are tedious and overwritten; I nearly gave up at some points but I always thought, "I got this far, I might as well go further." By the end of the book, I was sorry I had finished it and sad that I would no longer read about these characters who had become so intimate to me. That's my measure of a masterpiece. I felt as if I'd lost some friends in the main characters when I closed the book.
The main reason I was bored in the first few chapters was because I found Cooper Winslow so unbelieavably "good" and "pious." I could not relate at all to the character who seemed one-dimensional. And I was not surprised or sorry that he had dwindled his fortune down to nearly nothing, and had to take on roommates. But I believe now that Danielle Steel's early depiction of Coop sets us up to realize that we all often are foolish and close-minded when we are old and ought to believe passionately in "saving the world." Even with the best of intentions, as Steel shows, we often fall short because of societal restrictions and mistakes we make in life. In the final analysis, Danielle Steel makes her point well: we can inspire people and change their lives with one act of kindness and by doing good in our community in our quiet ways. I started out rolling my eyes at Cooper and ended up wanting to emulate him in my own life.
I love Danielle Steel's style of writing - beautifully and distinctively eloquent and expressive, and with such observance and skills in depicting the depths and complexities of human relations and the demands and passions of the heart. The book also explores the issues of "class," "money," "politics," "scandals," and even "murder" - all portrayed brilliantly in high drama and with engrossing suspense.
I am surprised that so many people think the story centers around Cooper. What makes this novel so compelling and fascinating is Danielle Steel's accomplishment in creating an entire village with complex characters so different and yet so similar to each other. I would say this story is as much about Mark Friedman, Jimmy O' Connor, Alex et al as it was about Cooper.
In my copy of the book, there is a quote by Virginia Woolfe that says, to paraphrase, that this book is a great English novel written for adults. This is so true! I am a die-hard Jane Austen fan, but the one major flaw I see with Austen is that she writes about courtship and ends at marriage so it can be easy to write (though in my wildest dreams I could never write as brilliantly as Jane Austen). Courtship is often exciting, romantic, and idealistic. But marriage, and any long-term relationship, involves compromise, trials and tribulations, tests of a couple's strength or the events that reveal the weakness of their bond. This novel examines the full range from courtship to marriage and the difficulties within all relationships. Through all the events, you find yourself sympathizing with each character, even while you realize you loathe what he/she is doing, his/her point of view. What's amazing is that within this complex set of characters lies complexity within each person.
Rating: 3
Summary: Light and Somewhat Enjoyable
Comment: I go back and forth with Danielle Steele's books. Some I love, others are ho-hum, and some have such implausible plots that I don't even bother to finish reading them.
"The Cottage" is one of the better books Ms. Steele has written in a while. The characters are well-developed and, for the most part, likable; the dialog is fun; and the story keeps you interested with its various twists and turns.
I did have problems in a few chapters, and found myself asking questions like these:
How can a man who just lost the wife, whom he professed to be the love of his life, fall deeply in love with another woman not even six months after his wife's death?
How can a father and his child bond so swiftly and completely when they knew nothing of each other's existence for 39 years?
How can a well-educated, independent woman put up with the egocentricities and obnoxious behavior of a man old enough to be her grandfather?
I have to be in the right frame of mind for a Steele book: A hard day at the office, and a need to chill out with some light reading set me on to this book. Although I did say, "Oh c'mon," in several spots, I enjoyed it.
Rating: 4
Summary: Pretty darn good book
Comment: Very good reading. Couldn't put it down after the first couple of chapters!
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Title: Sunset in St. Tropez by Danielle Steel ISBN: 0385335466 Publisher: Delacorte Press Pub. Date: 25 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Kiss by Danielle Steel ISBN: 044023669X Publisher: Dell Publishing Pub. Date: 01 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Answered Prayers by Danielle Steel ISBN: 0385335431 Publisher: Delacorte Press Pub. Date: 29 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Dating Game by Danielle Steel ISBN: 0385336314 Publisher: Delacorte Press Pub. Date: 04 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Leap of Faith by Danielle Steel ISBN: 0440236991 Publisher: Dell Publishing Pub. Date: 28 May, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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