Rating: 
Summary: Oh, so very bad
Review: This was by far one of the worst books I've read in a very long time. It was just an unending chain of depressing events - death, incest, pain, suffering - with nothing like suspense or intruige or romance to keep you interested. And I wasn't cheering for any of the characters, either. I simply didn't care, I was just so bored with it all.Experiencing a difficult trial with a character or feeling their triumph over an insurmountable obstacle can be very cathartic for me. But the characters never really triumphed, they just continued on with their pathetic little lives. If you need to read an Oprah pic, try What Crazy Looks Like on an Ordinary Day. Trust me - this one is not worth the time or cash!
Rating:
Summary: Depressing
Review: Be prepared to seek professional help and possible medication after this novel. It is dark, depressing and a difficult read.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a wonderful book!
Review: I loved this book. It's the best book I've read in several of years and I read a LOT of good books. I loved the dark, gothic nature of the story and events and was very moved by the characters and their lives. The very few events that did seem implausible (such as Lily's trip to New York in "the dress") added a lightness to the book that prevented it from being too sad to enjoy--unlike "Gap Creek," another Oprah book that was unrelentingly sad from beginning to end and had no hint of hope in it. I wish I could read "Fall on your Knees" again, and I probably will.
Rating:
Summary: Ugh, I'm at page 350 but I started this over 9 months ago!
Review: The only reason I'm finishing this bore of a book is that I always finish what I start and there's always some hope that it will get better. Can't wait to be done with it and move on to something better.
Rating:
Summary: Too dark for words
Review: While the author has a command of the language, it was far too dark for far too long. The first 400 pages offered little hope for the storyline to get better. It did when the daughter resided in New York. She records her life events in a diary and there is hope in her words. How sad to see that an abusive man destroys all hope in the end.
Rating:
Summary: dark, humorous, shocking, addictive
Review: Wow! I finished this book in two days because I couldn't put it down! After I was done, I had to sit there and take it all in. The ending totally wrapped up the story for me - I didn't feel like I was left hanging in any way. There were definitely shocking events in the book, like a soap opera. However, the events unfolded in a natural way and made sense to me. I felt that this book was about the love and duty that keeps a family together, despite the secrets and lies that would tear it apart if they were brought into the open. I really enjoyed this book, and I immediately recommended it to my brother and my friends.
Rating:
Summary: Great First Book!
Review: It's different from all the other books I've read. Why? Because the way the author writes is extraordinary. She writes as if she were casually talking to you, that you are friends. And the secrets/happenings are not entirely revealed all at the same time. You have to work out the happenings with little clues she gives as the story proceeds. It's a really unique book that you cannot put down. All the emotions you can feel are reflected in this book. You'll be shock. You'll be angry. You'll be happy, You'll be sad. It is a terrific find!
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT!
Review: This is an excellent excellent novel!! In fact, it has become one of my all time favorites. Not only is MacDonald an amazing writer but the characters are so deep and have stayed with me. The plot is extremely engaging and you find you are always thinking of what would happen next. It is no surprise it won the Commonwealth Prize for Best First Book. I love a novel that can entertain but also make one think. To me this novel was not only about dark secrets, incest and abuse. It made me reflect on what are "Facts" versus "Truth". Throughout our lives (as with the lives of all the characters), we are made to believe many things about ourselves our heritage and the world we live in and more often than not we take these facts to be our Truth. Macdonald makes the point that although the quest for Truth may hurt, it will most certainly set you free. It is a beautifully written novel and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Rating:
Summary: A good book,
Review: Oh what tangled webs we weave, this is a book about troubled family life it tell a tale of an ambitous father, a suicidal mother, forbidden desires and the women who survived to tell the tale.
Rating:
Summary: Give me a break!
Review: The only thing that kept me reading this novel is morbid curiosity to see what new tragedy or "shocking" event the author would employ as an attempt to keep the reader interested. I guess that sort of worked. I did read (well...skim) this book to the end...unfortunately. However, I found myself laughing as each new "plot twist" was added, rather than relishing the story and attempting to relate to the characters. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
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