Rating: 
Summary: Riveting, emotional, a roller coaster of a novel
Review: It's unusual to find a novel that grips me as this one did. I was unable to put it down, and at the same time afraid to read on. The emotional toll felt like a trade-off for the privilege of reading about these characters. Anna Quindlen is an incredible writer, and the ending of this story left me feeling desolate and hopeful at the same time.
Rating: 
Summary: Cliche rendering of an important topic
Review: This novel felt like a tired tale, which is unfortunate considering the subject matter. Domestic violence is all too real an occurence for many women in this country, and Quindlen makes light of it by offering bland, uninteresting characters. You don't believe the story, you don't care about the characters, and it doesn't succeed in raising awareness or educating readers about domestic violence.Boring. Not worth the time it took to read. If Oprah hadn't graced it with her name, no one would've bothered.
Rating:
Summary: It was great
Review: It was a great book, every girl from the age of 13 and up should read this book. It is hard to read but everyone shoulc read it.
Rating: 
Summary: THIS BOOK WAS OVER RATED!!!!!!
Review: I did not enjoy this book. I found it to be uterly boring and slow. It kept taking you back to the same events over and over and I didn't enjoy Anna Quindlens writing. I had to make myself finish this one. After watching the Oprah review on this one I rushed to get it thinking that it was going to be a gripping depiction of spousal abuse, but I was not that touched and I felt like it lacked a lot of feeling. Don't get this one!
Rating: 
Summary: A very compelling read. You feel her tension awaiting the ex
Review: This was one of those books I picked up and couldn't put down. I am a police reporter and often hear the stories of wives who are tormented by their cop husbands. I felt like the story was genuine and the tension was palpable as she waited for her husband to find her. This guy exists. I've seen them. And I surprised myself by weeping through the last 10 or so pages.
Rating:
Summary: absolutely mediocre
Review: This book was predictable from the very beginnning. It reminded me of a 'made for TV movie'. The subject matter was intriguing but the plot was far too predictable and therefore difficult to plod through. The saving grace was the character's honesty about the emotions she felt about her husband and child.
Rating:
Summary: Unfortunately, a very realistic view about battered women.
Review: I thought that Black and Blue was a sad, but very realistic view on physical abuse. It was easy to read, but it also very interesting. I found it hard to put the book down, I just got taken in by the story and all the characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who ever wondered why anyone actually stays with their abuser. You understand more about the victim's point of view.
Rating:
Summary: an important issue that needs a better story
Review: poorly written with hardly any plot movement and bland characters...I wish I could find a friend like Cindy and a guy like Mike unfortunatly they don't exist. Everyone has faults. If not faults, then at least quirks that make them an individual. I also didn't like the stream of consciousness writing where she would jump to her past then back to the present then remember an incidence with Robert then back to the present. Phew! my head was spinning. I think Quindlen should go back to writing her column...I have both of the collected volumes of her column and I love them.
Rating:
Summary: WOW! Sure makes a woman think.
Review: Quindlen shows what it is like to be a battered woman with very few options and just how scary it is. Very good read and hard to put down. But it's not a feel good book -- it's an eye opener for some and reality for others.
Rating:
Summary: A book to which a victim of any kind of abuse can relate.
Review: Well portrayed characters, particularly Robert, the son. Shows how domestic violence devastates the lives within a marriage and also the extended family.
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