Dividing the novel into seperate sections each featuring a different character was a bad idea, there simply wasn't enough pages. It was in interesting read for a lazy beach vacation but I can't imagine re-reading this. Especially after Delia, the southern beauty, started to irk my soul. She was selfish and vain but somehow adored by all. She kept information from her daughters fiancé as to why she left him, creating a huge mess that could have easily been prevented and saved years of heartbreak. Not the usual YA fiction I read as a teenager, but as an enthusiastic reader I always give other books a fair chance I absolutely ADORED "The Golden Prince", which is also one of Rebecca Dean's books, so I thought I'd give this a try. I think it was OK. Didn't exactly live up to my expectations, mainly because the book is parted into five parts. Delia, Delia's two daughters, the girls British childhood friend, and an Egyptian boy. The story about Delia, who moves from America to London, as she gets married to an British man much older than herself. The plot sounded extremely good, so I was EXTREMELY disappointed when I found out Delia's story only lasted the first 200 pages. So yes, it felt like reading a synopsis of each lives, which is sad because then you don't get to know their true personalities or bond with the characters. If this book was formed differently, I think I'd have enjoyed it much more.
What do You think about De Lelies Van Caïro (2009)?
I expected more from this book after reading reviews that she was equal to Phillpa Gregory.
—whitwhitwhit
Really enjoyed. Brought a new light to an otherwise less familiar area of history...
—maggiejayne
what a fabulous combination of history and romatic relationships!
—ElsoniEli
The first half was great. The rest left a lot to be desired.
—Mars
