Rating: 
Summary: Wise and Worthwhile
Review: A very disappointing offering full of romantic cliches and untruths. Since when does a woman need an adulterous affair to be complete? Since when does living in the "here and now" not lead to consequences to pay later? Hmm...perhaps if an earthquake strikes and places the "heroine" in danger...
Rating: 
Summary: Had me crying and wishing it wouldn't end
Review: I made the mistake of trying to read this as a "distraction" during finals week my sophmore year of college. In the end, my finals, my packing, and even sleeping became secondary to finishing "Fault Lines". Possibly, I was simply homesick for my own hills in Washington, but I fell in love with the forested California setting and the thought of running away from it all to hide in the forest. I cried at least three times, causing my roommate, who thought I was immune to emotion, to decide that I had finally gone off the deep end from stress. Later that summer, when I was coming to terms with breaking up with a boyfried who never quite was one, I was hearing, in the back of my head, "Be my same stars, Gavin," and it seemed that Merritt and TJ were splitting alongside Gavin and I.
I've been a fan of Anne Rivers Siddons ever since I stumbled across "Heartbreak Hotel" in the public library, but this has got to be the most engrossing book of hers that I've ever read. I read it again, when finals were over and I didn't have to deal with classes and my roommate, and I loved it just as much the second time. I don't often gush about books (or anything) but this definitely deserves it.
Rating: 
Summary: Dumb ending, trashy love story
Review: I've enjoyed a number of other books by Siddons, but found myself very disappointed by Fault Lines. The book started out great but slowly moved downhill to a dismal ending. It read like Siddons was placed on a tight deadline to finish the book and was forced to whip out anything in order to meet the deadline. The ending was predictable and just plain dumb. The so-called "love story" was trashy and read like a cheap grocery store romance novel. Yuck. I haven't been able to pick up another one of her books since.
Rating:
Summary: This was two books -- one good and one bad
Review: I've enjoyed other books by this author but I thought much of Fault Lines was a waste of time. It was as though she had ideas for two books and thought she could get away with combining them. The story line about her mother-in-law, daughter, husband and sister was warm, funny and moving (book one). But she interrupted the story with (book two) a melodramatic, romance-novel, Bridges-of-Madison-County interlude that inspired me to roll my eyes and flip pages until I could find a plot again. The only reason I bothered to finish the story was because I cared about the original characters. If you like romance novels, you'll love this book. Otherwise, don't invest the time in it (or just skip the pages with the romance in it -- you won't miss much.)
Rating: 
Summary: Total Disappointment...
Review: It started out as a typical ARS plot--aging southern married
woman contemplates family life and ends up growing and learning.
But the overly sentimental characters were sickening after
awhile, and the plot became less believable as it progressed.
Tedious storyline--main character rhapsodizes about meeting
her wonderful husband, but typically falls for an ugly or
deformed man who's somehow beautiful inside, as the plot
progresses.
Why should we care about a hairy woodsman with a pet rat who
has a deathwish concerning California earthquakes? Like we
couldn't see his death coming. And could the main character
gush anymore about her love for her perfect beautiful daughter?
A potential Hollywood movie star at 14? Come on.
Cliches, cliches--the sweet gay man dying of AIDS, the self-
involved physician husband, the beloved, long-lost sister,
the sleazy Hollywood producers...can't Siddens do any better
than this?
I don't think I'll read her anymore, and its too bad...I loved
Downtown and Nora, Nora.
Rating:
Summary: I will return to Anne Rivers Siddons
Review: One of my favorites of Ms. Siddons. I have read all but two of her novels, and I found this one to be as good if not better than most of her books. I loved the characters immediately. I love Anne Rivers Siddons.
Rating:
Summary: This is my favorite book from this author.
Review: Siddons really outdid herself with this one. If you are a Californian that loves California no matter what, you will love this book. It turns an earthquake into an incredible positive life-changing experience that only a real lover of California could appreciate. Those who think we're all crazy for living here, but secretly wish they could, will love it for the real-life drama and proof that earthquakes aren't all THAT bad.
Rating: 
Summary: A promising premise but doesn't really satisfy
Review: This book has a lot of promising character work in it, but is undone by its own lack of subtlety. I was drawn in to the characters' lives during the first half of the book, and found myself caring about what happened with the mother-sister-daughter trio. My involvement remained, even though I was put off by the author's tendency to beat the reader over the head with points she felt were important. I could have gleaned much about the main character through her actions; instead, I was told, over and over, what kind of person she was. I kept wanting to edit those passages down -- "I get it already!"Still, I was happily reading along. Unfortunately, a little more than midway through the book, the story grew more and more melodramatic. A relationship was developed -- a pivotal point for the main character -- but it pulled her out of the family context and into an overblown, false-feeling love story. Again, it's the author beating the reader over the head with what could have had more power through subtlety. The book kept me reading, but I couldn't help but wish that these interesting characters were given a more thoughtful and restrained treatment.
Rating:
Summary: A great book if you like Anne Rivers Siddons!
Review: This book, just like all of Ann Rivers Siddons books was great.I really felt for the main character in the book, and when she was happyI was happy, and when she was sad, I was sad. I really couldn't put the book down, and read it in one sitting. There was always something going on, and no boring parts in the book. I recomend it to anyone who likes this author. She's great.
Rating:
Summary: Dumb ending, trashy love story
Review: This is the first book I have read of Siddons. It was a slow beginning, but picked up in a few chapters. I found that the author hit on many of my emotions. Definitely worth reading.
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