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Loading... Fall on Your Knees (1996)by Ann-Marie MacDonald
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» 26 more Unread books (167) Female Author (219) Best Family Stories (75) Female Protagonist (220) 20th Century Literature (596) World War I Fiction (46) Best family sagas (170) First Novels (98) Books Read in 2005 (24) Biggest Disappointments (123) Books Set on Islands (78) Books Tagged Abuse (90) Alphabetical Books (93) Canada (20) No current Talk conversations about this book. interesting reading but a saga, without credibility ( ![]() Nova Scotia familie WWI, beautifully written good characters This was one of Oprah's last selections of her FIRST book club (she quit and restarted later), and as was typical of her choices it dealt with abuse, incest, dysfunction. MacDonald carefully controls the revelations however, so that there are still surprises toward the end. Still, looking back, you recognize foreshadowing used throughout. It's a powerful book, but NOT an enjoyable read. I did not like Frances at all; but I love Lily. Our book group had a great discussion. Here's what I wrote in 2008 about this read: "Life was difficult in Nova Scotia. Good saga, full of family sins and secrets that inflict great damage on their young. (NOTE: Just why do so many novels include this theme?)" 4-generations of a family set on Cape Breton Island off Nova Scotia. I love sagas, so immediately there will be a bias for 4-stars. This is a saga with many twists/turns, definitely disturbing however that is what i was looking for when I picked up this book. Wish that there was more to read!
Die inhaltliche Komplexität des Romans wird durch den personalen Erzählstil und den damit verbundenen häufigen Perspektivenwechsel unterstützt. Die dichte Bilder- und Motivwelt sowie die Integration unterschiedlicher Textsorten, wie Geburts- und Todesanzeigen, Liedtexte, Zitate, Tagebuchausschnitte und Briefe, vermitteln nicht nur ein hohes Maß an Authentizität sondern auch ein intensives Leseerlebnis. "Vernimm mein Flehen" ist daher - trotz einiger Längen - deutlich mehr als ein bloßes Familienepos. Stattdessen zeichnet der Roman ein mythisches und atmosphärisches Sitten- und Gesellschaftsbild der nordamerikanischen Gesellschaft des frühen zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts, das erzählerisch und stilistisch an den englischen Schauerroman erinnert. Es ist daher zu hoffen, daß die bis jetzt überwiegend in Kanada bekannte Autorin, auch in Deutschland ihr Lesepublikum findet. From award-winning Canadian actress and playwright MacDonald comes a full-bodied, ever-rolling debut, the story of a talented Cape Breton family with more than its share of repression and tragedy.As the 19th century ends, young James Piper travels from the Breton hinterland to the civilized port of Sydney seeking his fortune, and in no time at all he acquires a child bride, a house built by his Lebanese father-in-law, and the everlasting enmity of his wife's powerful family..... A plate piled dangerously high with calamities, perhaps, but the time, place, and people- -especially the children—all ring clear and true, making for an accomplished, considerably affecting saga. AwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
The Piper family is steeped in secrets, lies, and unspoken truths. At the eye of the storm is one secret that threatens to shake their lives even to destroy them. Set on stormy Cape Breton Island off Nova Scotia, Fall on Your Knees is an internationally acclaimed multigenerational saga that chronicles the lives of four unforgettable sisters. Theirs is a world filled with driving ambition, inescapable family bonds, and forbidden love. Compellingly written, by turns menacingly dark and hilariously funny, this is an epic tale of five generations of sin, guilt, and redemption. No library descriptions found.
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![]() GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:![]()
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