The Prodigal Daughter (1982)

Enjoyed first half with some duplication of earlier 'Kane and Able'. Then got bored. Characters predictable. Events staged. ( )

NIL

I read Kane and Abel many, many years ago. As I read this "sequel" I recalled parts of the original plot. Was not so impressed this time, some of the politics was dated, and the unsubstantiated american dream plot frankly ended up annoying me - way too yuppy years torry propaganda. ( )

Review by Jeremy Taylor

Jeffrey Archer’s 1980 best-seller Kane & Abel introduced readers to William Kane and Abel Rosnovski, two boys from vastly different circumstances and opposite ends of the world who grew up to profoundly affect early twentieth-century America. In The Prodigal Daughter, Archer continues the story of these two men and carries it on to the next generation.

Archer’s storytelling technique is in some ways archaic, relying heavily on narrative prose and shunning contemporary “rules” about showing versus telling. He is able to pull it off, however, partly because most he earned his reputation in previous decades before the evolution of the modern thriller and partly because his colloquial voice and strong characters make his books a pure pleasure to read even without much action or dialog.

The Prodigal Daughter is the story of Florentyna Rosnovski, daughter of hotel baron Abel Rosnovski. At the end of Kane & Abel, Florentyna fall in love with Richard Kane, the son of her father’s arch-enemy, banker William Kane. The sequel begins by backing the story up twenty years and painting a picture of Florentyna’s childhood. The story doesn’t actually catch up to the end of the first book until about halfway through.

As the story continues, Florentyna and Richard marry, against the wishes of both of their powerful fathers. They are cut off from their families’ fortunes and must start life on their own. Florentyna starts a fashion shop, while Richard begins building a reputation for himself in the banking industry. By the time they reconcile with their aging fathers, the young couple have managed to become wealthy on their own merit. After their fathers are dead, Florentyna becomes chairman of the Baron Group, her father’s hotel chain, and Richard ends up on the board of Lester’s, his father’s bank. The middle part of the book, then, focuses on their experiences in corporate life.

When Florentyna decides to run for political office, their lives change yet again, and the last part of the book details her various campaigns, her time in Congress, and the nation’s response to the first serious female contender for president of the United States.

Through it all, Archer adds a touch of realism through ties to real-life events and public figures, placing the story within its historical context. As always, his primary strength is his characters, and he puts them in situations that make them highly sympathetic and believable. Readers who have enjoyed Archer’s other books—particularly those who liked Kane & Abel—will appreciate this continuation of a story they may have resonated with. Readers who are more accustomed to contemporary political and corporate thrillers, however, may find it difficult to engage with Archer’s style.

(http://www.cerebralexchange.com/books/reviews.asp?book=226&host=1) ( )