Rating: 
Summary: Solid, but not great
Review: As an avid fan of Rona Jaffe,I am always excited to see a new book. I dove right into The Road Taken. It is the story of Rose Smith, born at the beginning of the 20th century,and her family. Following, Rose and her family we see the emergence of the new century , the blossoming women's movement, the death of loved ones, the two great wars. This book is well written and covers most of the pivitol events of the last 100 years, somehow tying Rose and her extensive family into each event. However, the book does not really develop the characters as well as I had hoped, with the exception of Rose's daughter Joan. The characters seem to serve only to introduce events. It was a an OK read, but not what I have come to expect from Jaffe, a minor disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: Poignant, moving, compelling -- Highly recommended
Review: Born on January 1, 1900, Rose Smith becomes the first of four generations in Rona Jaffe's THE ROAD TAKEN. Over the course of a century, the growth of Rose's family parallels the growth of a nation. Living in New York City's Greenwich Village, Rose's family experiences the changes of the nation first hand. As old values transform with each world event, so does transformation follow with Rose and, subsequently, her daughters. International events like World War I and World War II, polio, the Cold War, and the AIDs epidemic affect the family in evocative and moving ways. Highly conservative fans may not find the cross-dressing, gay brother Hugh amusing, but this reviewer finds him to be delightfully original and respectfully portrayed. As a secondary character, he not only moves the plot along nicely, but he also reveals the truth about families; that is, that there's always someone doesn't neatly fit a conventional role. Yet Hugh is also one of the most loving and understanding characters of the novel, thereby lending THE ROAD TAKEN balance and depth. This incredible historical fiction parallels the history of the twentieth century with four generations of an unforgettable family. While the characters are not as richly developed as they could be, these characters vividly reflect the changes of a nation. THE ROAD TAKEN becomes the story of transformation and hope, despair and anguish, chronically the patterns of life and death that mark the passage of our lives. As fascinating and complex relationships unfold in the novel, the beauty, ugliness, compassion and judgement of a family becomes the microcosm of the nation, revealing the depths of our joy and of our pain. Further, as these fierce willed women rise above fate and circumstance, they demonstrate the ability to transform tragedy into triumph, and the ability to endure the most tumultuous circumstances with spirit and verve. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, relaxing reading!
Review: I enjoyed this book! it is great summer reading- more substantial that you might expect, but just plain fun to read. The story spans the course of the twentieth century and I really enjoyed Jaffe's descriptions of each successive era. This is basically a "nice" book- things work out, the family gets along through all their tests. I truly recommend this fun read!
Rating:
Summary: Family History -- So What?
Review: I have to agree with the majority of the reviewers about Rona Jaffe's new book, "The Road Taken." After so many wonderful stories, I was very excited to see that she had a new book published and doubly excited to see that it was about a multi-generational family. However, just telling stories about a family does not a book make. There is no plot - just bits and pieces of information about family members. In reality, this book could be the story of anyone's family - my own in fact - but that doesn't make it story worthy. Every family is dysfunctional in its own way and Rose's family certainly has its share of dysfunctionality but the storyline doesn't go any where and I didn't really get the feeling of connecting with the characters though I really tried. There is one touching moment where Rose's wonderful husband passes away in his sleep and my favorite character in the novel, Uncle Hugh, the lovable, accepting and non-judgemental cross-dresser is by far the most interesting character. This is a book that can be read in less than a day but I kept waiting for something to happen.
Rating:
Summary: Family History -- So What?
Review: I have to agree with the majority of the reviewers about Rona Jaffe's new book, "The Road Taken." After so many wonderful stories, I was very excited to see that she had a new book published and doubly excited to see that it was about a multi-generational family. However, just telling stories about a family does not a book make. There is no plot - just bits and pieces of information about family members. In reality, this book could be the story of anyone's family - my own in fact - but that doesn't make it story worthy. Every family is dysfunctional in its own way and Rose's family certainly has its share of dysfunctionality but the storyline doesn't go any where and I didn't really get the feeling of connecting with the characters though I really tried. There is one touching moment where Rose's wonderful husband passes away in his sleep and my favorite character in the novel, Uncle Hugh, the lovable, accepting and non-judgemental cross-dresser is by far the most interesting character. This is a book that can be read in less than a day but I kept waiting for something to happen.
Rating:
Summary: Family History -- So What?
Review: I have to agree with the majority of the reviewers about Rona Jaffe's new book, "The Road Taken." After so many wonderful stories, I was very excited to see that she had a new book published and doubly excited to see that it was about a multi-generational family. However, just telling stories about a family does not a book make. There is no plot - just bits and pieces of information about family members. In reality, this book could be the story of anyone's family - my own in fact - but that doesn't make it story worthy. Every family is dysfunctional in its own way and Rose's family certainly has its share of dysfunctionality but the storyline doesn't go any where and I didn't really get the feeling of connecting with the characters though I really tried. There is one touching moment where Rose's wonderful husband passes away in his sleep and my favorite character in the novel, Uncle Hugh, the lovable, accepting and non-judgemental cross-dresser is by far the most interesting character. This is a book that can be read in less than a day but I kept waiting for something to happen.
Rating:
Summary: A Nostalgic Trip in Time
Review: I loved this book! It could have been anyone's family, I agree, but it was a trip in time. The author took you through a time capsule with her references to historical happenings and historical inventions. With each time period I was remembering where I was during that time period and how old I was. Even though it started well before I was born, it related to times in history that my family spoke of. I loved Jaffe's characters. She touched on all kinds of different scenarios and personalities in this family. She was proving that no family is spared from tragedy or joys. I found the book to be a very fast read, probably because you really didn't want to put it down. I was sorry it ended. It is nice to know that a story can be told and keep your attention without violence and sex. I have been telling everyone about this book. It has to be one of the best reads I have had for a long time. What a delightful change!!
Rating:
Summary: A Nostalgic Trip in Time
Review: I loved this book! It could have been anyone's family, I agree, but it was a trip in time. The author took you through a time capsule with her references to historical happenings and historical inventions. With each time period I was remembering where I was during that time period and how old I was. Even though it started well before I was born, it related to times in history that my family spoke of. I loved Jaffe's characters. She touched on all kinds of different scenarios and personalities in this family. She was proving that no family is spared from tragedy or joys. I found the book to be a very fast read, probably because you really didn't want to put it down. I was sorry it ended. It is nice to know that a story can be told and keep your attention without violence and sex. I have been telling everyone about this book. It has to be one of the best reads I have had for a long time. What a delightful change!!
Rating: 
Summary: What a Disappointing Book!
Review: I read "Five Women" which I thought was ok, so I decided to read this. First I want to know how any of Jaffe's books become Best Sellers on the New York Times Best Seller List? Her writing style is like that of an eighth grader (eighth graders write better). I had a hard time connecting to the characters, because I feel Jaffe did not develop them well, the characters were not believable. I basically read this book so I could finish it and get on to something more challenging.
Rating:
Summary: The Road Taken
Review: I read this book a couple of months ago and I absolutely loved it. I really got involved in the characters lives. I couldn't put it down. I tell all my family and friends about it. I was very disheartened to see all the bad reviews on this book. I am happy to say that I don't agree with a lot of the reviews.
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