The truth behind child abuse (The Long Road Home - Danielle Steel)

Member Name: diamond_sparkles

Product:	The Long Road Home - Danielle Steel
Date:	20/07/09 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Realistic and deep

Disadvantages: Might be too intense for some

Danielle Steel's The Long Road Home is the very first novel she ever penned. It explores the childhood and life of Gabriella. It follows her all through her difficult childhood and various life experiences. I am usually not one for these sorts of book, but having read Danielle Steel novels before, I was tempted to reach for this one. It is quite a sad and somewhat heavy read, I must admit, and it is quite obvious that Danielle Steel has not yet mastered the skill which will make her so popular over the years. Some words and sentences were too long and too many emotions were gathered in just a few paragraphs. However, the storyline is really realistic and captivating. I believe that this is what helped shaped up the novel as a whole.


There are so many elements and themes present the novel. The first being of course, child abuse and neglect. Personally, I was extremely moved and horrified by certain graphic paragraphs which just rip a reader's heart out. I will not hide the fact that it is not an easy novel to read- in fact; The Long Road Home can be quite disturbing for many. I will put that down to Danielle Steel's eye for detail and realism. There is not a single moment where she tries to tone things down. She tells the story as it should be told. While it is understandable that many people will not like that particular fact, and many will criticize the lack of light entertainment- I was personally happy about the realism and strength of graphic details in the novel. Being so much more than just a storybook, it helped shed light as well as removing certain stigmas associated with child abuse and neglect.


The characters are all very-well developed. Even minor characters are described in great depth and detail. Personally, I believe that this could have been avoided but some people might like the background presentation of so many various individuals. That includes some details which might once more be disturbing for many, including certain religious thematic features. Gabriella is also too much of a perfect character for me, but on another hand, it might be a result of everything that she has been through during her life.


I would not recommend this book to someone who is rapidly offended or who is sensitive by nature. However, I admire the mastery of realism transposed into language in The Long Road Home, and if you are like me then this might be quite an interesting book for you.


Thanks for reading!

Summary: Gabriella has constantly been beaten by her mother....