Quote

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Cicero

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Until The End Of Time, Danielle Steel

"Two couples,four decades apart... with two parallel destinies. In the hands of master story teller Danielle Steel, these two remarkable relationships come together in unexpected and surprising ways, as lovers are lost and find each other again."

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 I initially had purchased this book as filler material to read between other novels. Reading it, I have to admit was rather difficult, not because the author was boring or it was a dull read, quite the opposite, it was a good read, but it was just such a sad story.

The book opens on a couple in 1975. Jenny, the main character and her husband Bill, lived in New York City. She was a fashion consultant to many designers and he was a lawyer. The book follows their life through a lot of difficulties; Jenny was not accepted or welcome by anyone in his family, Bill's change of career from law to religion, miscarriages and more. I had to stop reading for a few weeks and pick up other, lighter literature as I found the book affected my everyday mood. It deeply saddened me to read. I did not however want to give up on this book.

I dedicated myself back to this book and finished Jenny's story. Sadly it finished tragically. The book then travels to 2013 and follows a young woman named Lillibet who happens to be Amish from Lancaster's own Amish country. Lilli does something extraordinary by writing a book, something no other Amish would dare do. She shows her bravery by secretly sending it to a publisher in New York City. As the publisher receives the book he is deeply moved by her description of things and places Lilli had never seen, leaving him at a loss for words and in love with the book and an author he had yet to meet. As the story progresses Lilli and the publisher, Bob, meet, and set up a date to edit her work, much to the disapproval of Lilli's father, who threatens to shun her should she leave. She makes the decision to go, but to return to her Amish life as soon as she was done. Lilli and Bob's relationship flourishes quickly and it's like they've known each other forever, although they've never met. She returns home to take back her life as an Amish woman. Upon her return she does get shunned and more tragedy ensues in the form of an accident

I almost decided to stop reading the book altogether and write it off as being a really sad book, though nicely written, but I am glad I didn't because if I did I would have most definitely have missed the clever way these two stories were connected. Although the book was a sad one and is not my favorite, it was not an opportunity lost and did have some sweet points.


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