The saying "Never judge a book by its cover" is completely true with this book. This is one of a pile of books my husband bought for me after rooting through for Jackie Collins books, the charity shop for me. I took one look at the cover and judged it as not a book I wanted to read. Then I got bored, I was almost crawling the walls looking for a book to read. I picked this up in desperation, and vowed never to judge a book by its cover ... ...the life of Josephine Czinski, a pretty young girl whose birth in to this world was hard on her and her mother and caused her father to have a heart attack and die. Her mother became a fanatical church goer, bringing her daughter up to believe she was the soul cause of her father's death. Her mother makes her living by making dresses and things for the rich oil tycoons and their families in, Odessa Texas. Josephine uses the cinema as an escape from ... more
The saying "Never judge a book by its cover" is completely true with this book. This is one of a pile of books my husband bought for me after rooting through for Jackie Collins books, the charity shop for me. I took one look at the cover and judged it as not a book I wanted to read. Then I got bored, I was almost crawling the walls looking for a book to read. I picked this up in desperation, and vowed never to judge a book by its cover ever again.
I found this book a tad difficult to get into to begin with, but I was soon so into this book that I just didn't want to put it down. So what is it about this book that I liked so much? Well, read on and I shall tell you!!
This book follows the life of Josephine Czinski, a pretty young girl whose birth in to this world was hard on her and her mother and caused her father to have a heart attack and die. Her mother became a fanatical church goer, bringing her daughter up to believe she was the soul cause of her father's death. Her mother makes her living by making dresses and things for the rich oil tycoons and their families in, Odessa Texas. Josephine uses the cinema as an escape from her mother's damnation and hellfire speeches.
This and the love of her life suddenly getting engaged to another girl led her to leave the small town in Texas and move to Hollywood to make her fortune. That is when she shed her old self and became Jill Castle instead.
The book also follows the birth and growing up of a young man called Tobias Templarhaus. Tobias is the only child of his parents and his mother totally dotes upon him. She tells him that he is destined to be famous. He grows up always being told this and always believes it. When he gets a young local girl pregnant he is told by his mother to pack his bags and leave town, before he has to marry the girl in question. She tells him she won't have her son held back from fulfilling his destiny by having to marry the girl. She gives him some money and makes him promise that when he is rich and famous that he will send for her.
He does eventually become famous, but his mother doesn't live to see it. The book follows Tobias' rise to fame and his transformation into Toby Temple. The biggest comic genius ever to climb from nothing. It also follows Jill's change from unassuming child to cold, calculating bitch.
This book in my humble opinion was rather reminiscent of a Jackie Collins book. Only without so much name dropping. The sex scenes, yes there are some in this book, are also written in a more polite way, not with the crudity that you can sometimes get with Jackie Collins.
I would highly recommend this book. If you are a Jackie fan you are likely to enjoy this.
You can get this book from Amazon.co.uk new for £5.49 or used for £1.35 plus postage and packaging.
Or you can purchase this book from Abebooks.com for $1 or 56p plus postage and packaging.
Advantages: It keeps you engrossed till the last page Disadvantages: none
...Face' in 1969.This fetched him a nomination in the category of Best First novel, for the Edgar Allan Poe award.His novels predominantly feature tough, determined Women characters, who are often fighting the hostile system and the men who run it..His novels have a lot of suspense in them..His readership mainly consist of women..
Rage of the Angels,Bloodline,Master of the Game are among his most powerful novels.
A Stranger in the mirror was published ... ...story of Toby Temple , a mamas boy who ends up becoming a huge celebrity..and Jill Castle, a small time actress who has seen many hardships in life...when they meet they are destined to fall in love ..then tragedy strikes in the form of Toby's illness and the aftermath of it..enters David, Jill's first love..then life begins to get more and more complicated...
quite an interesting read, that is if you like Sydney Sheldon's racy style of writing..
...
kiran8 28.07.2008
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Advantages: Suspense, Cant put this one down Disadvantages: None
his novels have become international bestsellers.
This book and infact all of is books are extremely difficult to put down.
The main theories in each book are also meticulously researched.
In the case of this book the defendant, Ashley Patterson, claims to have Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD).
In the back of the book Sheldon has mentioned a list of some of organizations devoted to helping and treating patients with this disorder.
So not only does Sheldon provide you with a tremendous novel to read but he also provides you with the facts and information on each matter that the book is based on.
Other novels written by SydneySheldon are: The Other Side of Midnight, A Strangerin the Mirror, Bloodline, Rage of Angels, Master of the Game, If Tomorrow Comes, Windmills of the Gods, The Sands of Time, Memories of Midnight ...
Advantages: Good story, well written and enjoyable book Disadvantages: Not enough about the amazing Detective
of working. It was just a shame he was not brought into the story until two thirds of the way through, I would like to have got to know more about his style and his experiences.
Conclusion:
Overall an excellent book it was both well written and exciting story. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a mystery/thriller. I will definitely be looking to read more books by this author in the near future.
Published by Harper Collins
Pages 456
Price: £6.99 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0-00-617501-5
Info on the author: www.sidneysheldon.com
Other novels written by SidneySheldon
The Naked Face (1970)
The Other Side of Midnight (1973)
A Strangerin the Mirror (1976)
Bloodline (1977)
Rage of Angels (1980)
Master of the Game (1982)
If Tomorrow Comes (1985)
Windmills ...
Toby Temple is a superstar, the world's funniest man. He gets any woman that he wants, but under the superstar image is a lonely man. Jill Castle is a sensuous starlet. She has a dark and mysterious past and has an ambition even greater than Toby's. Together they rule Hollywood.
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