Thorns of Truth

Rating:
Summary: Wish I could remember other book better
Review: As much as I enjoyed reading this story I found myself wishing I could remember the earlier book better. I feel you really need to know the back story in order to totally get the deeper meaning of this one. I think Eileen Goudge is a wonderful writer and I look forward to reading more from her. Just wish she doesn't wait so long when writing a follow up story.

Rating:
Summary: slightly dissapointed
Review: I am a recent reader of Goudge, and I thoroughly enjoyed Garden of Lies. Her characters and plot were woven into a wonderful story of family and betrayal. However, after only 2-3 chapters of Thorns of Truth, I felt that Goudge had let me down, mainly by not really offering anything "new." I can understand a need to fill a new reader in on the story up to this point, but she did this throughout the entire novel, which I found to be very distracting. Her original characters could have stood alone in this book had she dealt with their lives differently. I had hoped for more interaction between the sisters and the mother but it seemed as if even Goudge was afraid of the confrontation! If you have not read any Goudge novels before, you'll enoy this one. If you have read Garden of Lies, then be prepared for a bit of a letdown.

Rating:
Summary: Would've been better if I'd read the first book
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Thorns and Roses!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I didn't read the previous book because I didn't even know there was a prequel. Goudge does an excellent job with her characters. Both the females are strong, admirable, but unique. The plot did move faster than her other books. I will say however, that she needs to rethink her heavy reliance on setting. Goudge spends almost three pages describing the old woman in her garden. We get it! She loves her roses! Otherwise, this is a good book.

Rating:
Summary: Thorns and Roses!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I didn't read the previous book because I didn't even know there was a prequel. Goudge does an excellent job with her characters. Both the females are strong, admirable, but unique. The plot did move faster than her other books. I will say however, that she needs to rethink her heavy reliance on setting. Goudge spends almost three pages describing the old woman in her garden. We get it! She loves her roses! Otherwise, this is a good book.

Rating:
Summary: Sequel doesn't measure up
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Sequel doesn't measure up
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing, Dull & Confusing
Review: 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?

Rating:
Summary: Engaging; couldn't put it down
Review: 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?

Rating:
Summary: More Truth to Come..
Review: The book explores the relationships, trials and tribulations or Rachel and Rose who are bound together in so many ways, some of which they are unaware of when the story begins. Rachel is assumed to be the daughter of Sylvie, but in reality Rose is her real daughter. Rose was raised by another family because Rachel and Rose were "switched at birth" during a hospital fire. But Sylvie knows the truth all along and couldn't admit the truth until her deathbed.

Rachel's relationship with her husband becomes increasingly strained, and the mental illness of their adopted daughter, Iris, just adds to the strain. Rose's son, Drew, becomes engaged to Iris, and Rose feels that the engagement is a mistake, which causes more anxiety in the family.

Rose was widowed about a year earlier; her grief is still raw and she hasn't been able to "get on with her life". She meets a wonderful man, Eric, but can't commit to a permanent relationship with him because of her guilt about moving on so soon after her husband's death.

Rose's step daughter, Mandy is also grieving over the death of her father, but her biggest battle is with alcohol. The scenes where she struggles with that demon are poignant and frightening.

The author does a good job of building these characters and involving us in their lives; however the ending of the book left some situations unresolved. Looks like we can expect another installment in this series, since it seems that all of the action in this book was setting the stage for the next book.