This book was so bad, I'm actually feeling outraged. I took it on - well, faith (Hey! I can see why they chose the title right there!)- that a book this popular cannot possibly be so immature. I understand that for books in this genre, we've got to expect some pretty clear author-bias towards the main characters. That's okay, sometimes we just want a brainless bit of wish-fulfillment fluff where the heroine triumphs despite a tragic backstory and assorted villainy, and wins True Wuv. But you actually have to let your readers get to know your character, before we can root for her. We are repeatedly told what a sparkling creature of light and "vivaciousness" the heroine is, without having a single shred of evidence to that effect. On that note, I must say that it takes some particular talent to so assiduously prevent one's characters from talking about or doing anything of interest whatsoever, and condensing anything with such potential into charming one-liners: "They sometimes spent hours by a small stream, sitting there and just talking to each other, about life, their families, their hopes and dreams and their futures." Um, I'd like to raise my hand here? What are their hopes and dreams and futures, et cetera et cetera? Because, you know, I still have no idea.What do we have by way of conflict? In the first half of the book, it's the cold, penny-pinching and beauty-hating Aunt Carole who takes guardianship of Marie-Ange. Except - there's no conflict. Aunt Carole is mean, Marie-Ange is virtuous... full stop. What do we have by way of romance? Billy Parker and Marie-Ange are friends, Marie-Ange forbids from taking it further... full stop.When we find out somewhere later on that the reason Marie-Ange never heard from someone beloved to her (further building her case as the Poor Little Orphan-Girl with the Tragic Past) was that her aunt had been returning all of that person's letters for years - and get this - intercepting and throwing away all the letters Marie-Ange had sent that person, I actually laughed aloud. So, um, her aunt works in the postal service? Or she wheels her vindictive, crippled-in-both-body-and-soul self to intercept the heroine's mail, for no reason other than Pure Evilness? Right. I'm not even going to go on to describe what happens in the second half of the book. I need time to get over this and heal.So, in conclusion - it says right there in the Goodreads blurb that this story is a "compelling" story of the "power of lies" and "the misuse of trust" and oh, I FEEL THE TRUTH OF IT RIGHT HERE. Yes! I've experienced firsthand the power of the lie that this story is "compelling", and my trust that millions of people can't be wrong and Danielle Steel is a good author of romance. I shall indeed triumph over this devastating betrayal of good writing and go on to read hundreds of vastly superior chick-lit that I might actually get an afternoon's worth of entertainment from.
In Danielle Steel's Leap of Faith, she told us a disturbing dark tale of possessive love and breaking free from France to the United States. For Marie-Ange Hawkins, she lived an idyllic and free live in Paris, France, at a chateau. At the age of 11, she lost her parents and became orphaned and alone, and later sent to America to live with her uncaring great-aunt in Iowa. Bitter and resented from her, she was forced to work on her farm and dreamed of returning back to France. That's when she befriended a local boy named Billy Parker, who offered comfort and support. She wished to gain an escape by getting an education. At that time, an unexpected visitor arrived after her 21st birthday, the new owner of her beloved chateau was now owned by Comte de Beauchamp, who gave her an extraordinary gift--return to her beloved home in Paris. Later, de Beauchamp ofered her his home and later his heart, which was followed by marriage, children and lavish homes. When a mysterious woman appeared to tell her a shocking story, she didn't want to believe it. Not even Billy came come help her, when darkness surrounded her, she must have courage to take a leap of faith to save her life and her loved ones.
What do You think about Leap Of Faith (2002)?
I picked up the book last night, and just continued to read it till 3pm today. It was okay. The best thing about the book was the fast pace. I did not enjoy the static characters. I did not enjoy her repetition. I dislike the way Steel kept repeating most of the sentences.Example, page 122:"She loved the way he worried about her, and wanted to protect her ... she loved the protection he offered, his obvious concern. She was totally in love with him."Really? I mean come one. I felt like I had some major reading disability and needed someone to spell it out to me in writing to get any, any emotion for the text.I disliked, HRH's cold, convenient ending, I disliked Leap of Faith's generic, way predictable ending. I may have even had guessed the ending when I was only 1/3 into the book.
—Sidra
Reseña de Acto de Fe en el blogDanielle Steel nos presenta una historia un tanto dramática, que aúna amor y tragedia bajo la vida de su personaje principal, Marie-Ange Hawkins.Es una novela corta que presenta en su mayor parte la vida de Marie-Ange desde la muerte de sus padres y su hermano, viviendo en Iowa junto a su tía abuela y compartiendo sus anhelos y frustraciones junto a su amigo Billy.Intempestivamente, la llegada de un abogado anunciándole su nueva situación económica cambia todo, y parte de sus sueños se hacen realidad, pero la felicidad nunca llega a ser constante y Marie-Ange aún debe pasar por muchas cosas.La forma que Steel tiene de describir, tanto personajes como lugares, hace que la lectura sea amena, sin que se torne pesada en ningún momento.Hay un punto negativo, sin embargo, el desenlace se da de un momento a otro, con mínimas pistas que nos llevan a reconocer lo que pasará pero que de todas maneras no llegan a prepararnos; aunque el final no quede descolgado, llega muy rápido y nos deja con la impresión de que falta algo más.En una visión general, la historia resulta agradable y es muy buena para pasar un rato ameno de lectura.Reseña completa en el blog: http://masalladelaspaginas.blogspot.c...
—Ale Rivero
This broke the usual Danielle Steel formula in a few ways. One being the protagonist is a young child when the story begins, another was the western setting and just the plot as a whole was different from the typical Steel blueprint. I almost wish this was longer, it sometimes felt like I was reading a synopsis or a book report instead of being absorbed in the story. I won't even get into the improbable parts, or about how hard I laughed when (view spoiler)[She was dropping her babies out of the window during the fire her evil husband set to kill her and her children (hide spoiler)]
—Joshua
