What do You think about Amazing Grace (2007)?
Lives are tied together through the force of a San Francisco earthquake. Melanie Free, one of the top young singers, is doing a charity benefit in San Francisco when a massive earthquake leaves her and her entourage in the city for weeks. While her group is stuck at the shelter, she volunteers at a field hospital and meets Maggie, a Converse-wearing nun, who was also at the benefit. Meanwhile, Maggie meets Everett, a journalist from LA, and they quickly form a close bond. And Sarah, the head of the charity benefit Melanie appears at, is also intertwined in the story as her husband lied about funds in his hedge fund and is facing time in jail. The stories of Maggie, Melanie, Sarah, and Everett are all intertwined throughout the book.This was a typical Danielle Steel book -- although it focuses on four main characters versus the usual one. I used to like Danielle Steel, but after reading so many books for book clubs, I grew tired of the stilted writing and expected plot line. I found myself saying 'yeah, yeah... I knew that was coming.' Or 'Really? You couldn't find a more interesting way to write this?' I feel like maybe I've just outgrown this kind of novel, which is more surface than somehow getting deeper so I can 'feel' each character. Plus, the characters are always so unreal. There's usually a famous one, who despite their fame, is just the nicest person and wants to volunteer to help the world. And in this one there's the guy from AA who never falls off the wagon. And the woman who's husband goes to jail, but she never falls apart throughout the process.That said, it was an easy-to-read novel with some interesting story lines. While Maggie is contemplating continuing life as a nun, Sarah is considering life with her two small children and a husband in jail. It was interesting to see the choices each character made when dealing with life-changing events.
—Pamela
This is the second Danielle Steel book I have ever read and although it's not as bad as the first one I gave an awful review to, A Good Woman, it still wasn't great. I have no idea why this author is as famous as she is.Good thing this book had 4 principles in it and not one because every character she has, I could care less about. She seems to not be able to build characters up at all. Every character is so Lilly white and perfect. Doesn't she get tired writing about boring people? I sure am tired of reading about them. Everything is so far from reality where people don't get angry, make mistakes, or are ever mean. The only mean or flawed characters are the fleeting ones. Her writings are simplistic and uneducated. I try to never say or write "had had" ever and I am no writer. Why is this acceptable over and over again? She is extremely repetitive throughout her writing. You would think she was getting paid by the word or something! I think two chances was enough, don't think I'll waste my time on another one of her books.
—Jennifer Entwistle
This was my first exposure to this prolific and well known author’s works. I was drawn to this story primarily because of its setting. I was born and raised in Northern California where San Francisco is commonly referred to as “The City”. I have spent many wonderful hours exploring the environs of “Baghdad by the Bay”. Hence I was most familiar with the areas mentioned in this novel. I was also drawn to the plot of this book. There are four central characters around which this story is woven. Sarah Sloane, “ . . . beautiful wife of a financial whiz”; Melanie Free, “. . . Grammy- winning singer”; Everett Carson, “ . . . photographer, former war correspondent” and Sister Maggie Kent, “ . . . a nun who normally works in jeans and high tops”. These four are drawn together as a result of their being in attendance at an event when a major earthquake strikes San Francisco. Ms. Steel has the ability to create engaging characters that you invest in almost instantaneously. Even though I came across elements in this tale that frequently have resulted in me putting a book down and not investing anymore time or interest in reading it any further, I pressed on in this one because I wanted to see what the author would do with the lives of these characters. This novel comes to a satisfying end for three of the main characters and something of a mystery to me with regard to the fourth one. I would have rated this 4 stars on Good Reads but, because Steel chose, I presume in an effort to make her characters seem more realistic, to have some of her characters use strong profanity to express themselves, I can only give this read 3 stars. I probably will not be reading anything further by this author as a result of her willingness to use language I am offended by.
—Laura
