Black and Blue

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Reviews for BLACK & BLUE - on Audio
Review: 4 cassettes / 4 hours
Read by Lili Taylor

In praise of the BLACK & BLUE AudioBook:
"It's a moving, realistic, emotionally complex tale about life choices and their consequences. Lili Taylor relates the first-person story with a ring of truth that makes the story sound like an autobiography. The bittersweet ending, like life itself, offers no easy answers. This thoughtful and deeply absorbing novel is a truly rewarding audio experience." - Billboard

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Summary: A veiw from the bench
Review: I am a Municipal Court Judge who handles a lot of domestic violence cases. I liked "Black and Blue" but found some aspects of the story a little hard to believe. When Fran left she had a pretty "fairy tale" life. It was a little hard to believe that she could live rent free all that time and work on the almost "casual" level that she did. It seems that she would have been more finacially strapped. Aside from being a judge, I was also a single mother and I know from practical experience how tough it can be. Meeting the gym teacher was a little far fetched. Trust me, you don't meet single men with no baggage. People in the know say that women tend to get hooked up with the same kind of guy as their ex. But I give Fran a lot of credit. She did break free and that's what you have to do. But it was a tough decison and I don't want women to think that they will have it as easy as Fran. Whether it's alcohol, drugs or an abusive relationship you have to make a break and look out for number one. The book is well worth reading for those who are victims of domestic violence or those who work with victims and offenders. One of the early reviews said this was the UNCLE TOM'S CABIN of domestic violence. I wouln't go that far, but it's a quick read and very readable. It does not compare to PARADISE, which was a terrible selection. Shame on Oprah for picking her friend's book! I'm working on a PHD and I can't understand Toni Morrison!

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Summary: Good story line.
Review: Black and Blue was a good book. I was definately shocked by the ending. The beginning I feel was hard to get going but once you were in I could not put the book down.

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Summary: Too predictable
Review: This book was a fast, easy read, perfect for the beach. However, I found it very predictable. Nothing new, no new insights into the horror of domestic abuse. Most of it read like a made for TV movie to me. I felt tremendous sympathy for Fran and her failed dreams of a happy marriage, but I knew within the first 20 pages what was going to happen. Not a bad book at all, but not the novel the reviews have made it out to be.

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Summary: A great book and a call to action
Review: I grew up in an abusive household and have read other books dealing with this subject matter, but this is by far the best at describing what it is really like. It devastatingly chronicles how a woman could ever remain in a violent relationship and how many lives are affected even when the partners think it is just between themselves. Quindlen's descriptions of everyday life not only with a violent partner but afterwards were heartbreaking. I agree with the reviewer who said that this book has the potential to become the Uncle Tom's Cabin of domestic violence. Through Anna Quindlen's eyes I finally realized that domestic violence isn't just a personal matter and that people like me need to work to ensure that books like this don't have to be written any more.

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Summary: fast read
Review: This was a book, that I picked up and did not put down until it was complete. I was totally drawn in by the story. I feel so awful for women who have been involved in relationships like these. I have a close family member that was abused by her first husband. She was able to divorce him and leave. Her strength made a lasting impression on me as I grew up. I did not always make the right choices for dates, but I was always very upfront about my feelings about abuse. The men I dated always knew that I had a very supportive family and friend network and abuse would not be tolerated. I am so sad that this book did not end with him getting what he deserves. But from what I understand, they usully don't. I pray for all of the women out there in a cycle like this and am so thankful to God that I haven't had to walk in those shoes.

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Summary: Memorable and well-told
Review: This gives a believable, affecting look at the horror of the kind of life Fran lived and left. I also appreciated the threads interwoven through the story connecting many different kinds of people and personal histories, sometimes very sweetly and often with a touch of mystery. Despite the kind of plot few people experience in real life, it read like real life, and interrupted mine for several days while I had difficulty putting it down. I like how the author left so many details to the imagination; that shows a maturing, trusting writer. The ending was very painful, but I suppose we would have been cheated by a kinder conclusion. But I want to know whether Robert (I didn't like the Robert/Bobby names -- I kept having to remind myself who was who) and his mother find each other again. And whether the reason he didn't return to her right away was because his father had threatened to kill his mother if he did. An objection I had to the plot is that there's no way I would have just listened to the breathing on those occasional phone calls after my son disappeared. I would have tried to pour love, support and reassurance into the telephone line. All in all, though, a very good read.

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Summary: An Engrossing Read
Review: Although the ending was a bit predictable, I still found myself holding my breath until I learned what was truly going to happen. Who among us hasn't gotten involved with someone who was "bad" for us? That doesn't necessarily mean abuse specifically, but most women I know had a young romance that they thought was fine--"You just don't understand him like I do," I found myself muttering to my parents my senior year in high school. Others saw differently, but love is often blind. The physical love, the willingness to keep things together, was something many can sympathize with. This book is an eye-opener, as well as good, suspenseful read. Not perfect, but well worth your time. I highly recommend it.

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Summary: "Intense"
Review: This was a story that a lot of women can relate to. As I read some pages I felt my shoulders tense up. I wanted to see "Bobby" fall off the pages. A pure animal. If I hear one more person say why would a woman stay in an abusive realtionship.....plain old "FEAR"... The only part that did not make sense to me was, when Fran thought to herself if my son ever abused a woman I would not care "he's still my son" Well if she thought that way, then why was she so bitter about Ann Bennedetto. That's neurotic to say the least.

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Summary: Excellent! Well written story of many women in the world.
Review: I happened to see this new audio tape in the grocery store video dept and thought do I really want to listen to a story on abuse? But I decided to rent it anyway, because I am hooked on the books on tape and have exhausted my own purchased supply. So off I go in my car and I was very intrigued throughout the whole story that I took the long way to work just to keep listening. It had a great ending. I hope more women can escape abuse and find happiness!