The Prodigal Daughter

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Summary: The Prodigal Daughter
Review: After reading Kane and Abel I was told that this was a sort of sequel to the book and I had to read it. Once again I loved this book and the author. Its one of those books where you just want to keep reading and never stop. I highly recommend reading Kane and Abel before reading this book so that you understand the characters more completely. This book does give a shortened introduction of the characters in the beginning but it is recommended by me that you read Kane and Abel which you will enjoy!!!

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Summary: A Woman All Her Own
Review: Florentyna was an exceptional girl. Born of immigrant Polish parents, one of whom become a powerful and wealthy businessman, she was tutored well, learned well, and trained well. Until she threw it all away to marry the son of her father's most bitter enemy.

Richard Kane had also defied his father to marry his love, and the two were cast off without a cent into the world. However, not only do they live on love, but they forge their own business empire in the process. If Kane and Abel were rivals, but successes; only to see their greatest dream dashed at the hands of the other, Richard and Florentyna show what their father's might have achieved by working together.

Indeed, together they build the empire of both their father's dreams. Both of their fathers recanted their hatred at the end, and they build together. But eventually success at business bores Florentyna, and she goes into politics.

Florentyna is a success in many ways in politics. Congress, then the Senate... and the White House?

Indeed, I don't know if the novel makes or breaks itself with the dirty tricks played at the end. Florentyna made her biggest mistake when she didn't outright reject one offer. Character wise, I think that is the biggest weakness of the novel. Florentyna wasn't that stupid or naive. Would it have hurt to have had her cave in if the man had outright lied (and still trapped her), and her serve her term as vice-president with no illusions about him? PLus, I have to wonder if she, faced with the end of her career, wouldn't have conceeded defeat - and then dragged down certain people as well?

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Summary: The Captivating Sequel to KANE AND ABEL Is Hard To Put Down
Review: I thought KANE AND ABEL was one of the best books I'd ever read, so I was eagerly anticipating THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER. Although it falls a shade short of the greatness of its predecessor, this is still an outstanding novel that reveals more about the characters I had come to love in the first book.

Some may argue that Jeffrey Archer cheats the reader since approximately the first 200 pages are a recap of KANE AND ABEL. However, instead of getting the story from the viewpoint of the two men, we see the events throught the eyes of Abel's daughter Florentyna and the added insight makes the second telling of the events highly worthwhile.

Florentyna Rosnovski is a formidable and unforgettable character. She endears herself to readers as a young girl through her relationship with her governess Miss Tredgold and her adventures from elementary school through college. Even the expected meeting with Richard Kane takes on new dimensions as they marry despite the deep rejection by both fathers.

It was after the initial marriage and career boom that I thought the book faltered slightly. Florentyna became too perfect, everything came too easily, and even the tragic events did not seem to touch her as I would have expected. However, her rise to fame and her battle to achieve her childhood ambition by becoming President of the United States is a page-turning read, one that will surely satisfy fans of KANE AND ABEL.

Rating:
Summary: The Captivating Sequel to KANE AND ABEL Is Hard To Put Down
Review: I thought KANE AND ABEL was one of the best books I'd ever read, so I was eagerly anticipating THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER. Although it falls a shade short of the greatness of its predecessor, this is still an outstanding novel that reveals more about the characters I had come to love in the first book.

Some may argue that Jeffrey Archer cheats the reader since approximately the first 200 pages are a recap of KANE AND ABEL. However, instead of getting the story from the viewpoint of the two men, we see the events throught the eyes of Abel's daughter Florentyna and the added insight makes the second telling of the events highly worthwhile.

Florentyna Rosnovski is a formidable and unforgettable character. She endears herself to readers as a young girl through her relationship with her governess Miss Tredgold and her adventures from elementary school through college. Even the expected meeting with Richard Kane takes on new dimensions as they marry despite the deep rejection by both fathers.

It was after the initial marriage and career boom that I thought the book faltered slightly. Florentyna became too perfect, everything came too easily, and even the tragic events did not seem to touch her as I would have expected. However, her rise to fame and her battle to achieve her childhood ambition by becoming President of the United States is a page-turning read, one that will surely satisfy fans of KANE AND ABEL.

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Summary: A little too predictable
Review: If you ever want to know about politics on a level that you don't read in the headlines, this is an excellent book to read.

Jeffrey Archer has captured so many details and such strong character development, that it is easy for you to believe in this story

As for the title, though, I still wonder why this is titled "The Prodigal Daughter," since prodigal means wastefully extravagant. Although the protagonist was born into wealth, and married someone who became a banker, her character was actually frugal.

This is one of those books that you can't turn the page fast enough, because even if you read it years ago, you become so caught up in the drama.

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Summary: Recommendation with Enthusiasm
Review: The life of Florentyna Rosenofski is well read out in the sequel to Kane & Able.

Life is good for this young heiress, privilage, a nanny, loving mother, college etc..., untill she is propositioned by an attractive man at Bloomingdales, where she works behind the counter, who keeps asking for gloves.

Her relationship with her loving but overbearing father turns upside down when she reveals to him that her lover is Richard Kane, son of his most hated enemy.

Suddenly out in the real world with the love of close college friends and mother, "Jessie" and Richard strike out on their own.

Florentyna soon finds out her real calling is politics and she soon starts off down the road that will see her obtain the highest office in the land, albeit with tragedy and a few revelations along the way.

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Summary: Another promising book
Review: The Prodigal Daughter is the second book in the Kane and Abel trilogy. It goes back in time to the childhoods and lives of the daughter of Abel Rosnovski, Florentyna, and the son of William Kane, Richard. She is an intelligent young lady with high ambitions from the start. The Prodigal Daughter has a lot of politics involved in it, with Florentyna trying to become the president of the United States. Of course, her being a woman and extremely rich will make her face difficulties, but she fights against all odds.

I like the book also because its protagonist is a woman. She was gifted with beauty and spirit but above all with an indomitable will. There's a lot of politics involved in this book but nonetheless a terrific book with a twist in the end. The rest of the story is filled with betrayals, political intrigues and suspense, some tragic incidents like Richard's death, follows the pursuit of Florentyna to reach the highest office of the country.

Most people are of the opinion that this book was better than Kane and Abel but I would anytime choose the latter over this book. Even though I put the heavily detailed politics in the book as a minus point, it is that very portion which gives life to the book. I recommend this book to all those who have already read Kane and Abel or even otherwise. This book rightly proves that Mr. Archer is a great storyteller.

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Summary: An engaging follow up to Kane and Abel
Review: This follow up and sequel to Kane and Abel shifts focus from the indomitable male characters of Kane and Abel to a witty female protaganists who captures our attention as she scales the heights to become the first woman president of the United States. Though equally engaging, the impact is not as lasting as that of Kane and Abel. A worthwhile read.

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Summary: A Worthy Successor...
Review: This is an excellent sequel to the novel, Kane and Abel. Archer once again is at his best. He remembers to intertwine key details of the book with Kane and Abel, and the reader easily recalls the suspense and the pure entertainment of Kane and Abel in Prodigal Daughter. Jeffrey Archer molds Florentyna into a very memorable character. Not many authors would have even tried to write a sequel Kane and Abel, but Jeffrey Archer makes a triumph of challenge. The result is The Prodigal Daughter. While it lacks some of the intensity of K&A, it is well worth the read.