I first read this book when I was entering 9th grade, and it changed my life. This may have been because of my age, but for me, Fran was a woman who did what I had never realized you could do- she left a horrible situation to make her life better. This book still inspires me, still makes me cry, and still gives me hope that no matter how bad something may get, you still have the power to help yourself. I would recommend this book to anyone over 15!

mentally tough read

This tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a New York police officer. Their passion for each other turns into a fiery, combative marriage with her on the receiving end of physical and psychological abuse. Finally, she decides to flee one night with her ten-year-old son. They seek help from a domestic violence group and assume new identities in Florida. Since he's a respected police officer, she can never relax under her new identity due to his "connections". Once again I fell for a title by Anna Quindlen and was disappointed. Although the book had many suspenseful moments, I found it slow and repetitive. This was an Oprah pick as well as a product of a Pulitzer Prize winner and I guess I expected more.

Terribly boring book. And just.. in a lot of ways stupid. Or maybe I just don't know enough about the topic. Anyway about it.. the book didn't work for me.

I just love Quindlen's work. She's fearless in tackling difficult topics, and breathtakingly honest in dissecting them. Black and Blue is about domestic violence, and once again, she does not disappoint. The book ends on a particularly surprising note that doesn't feel the least bit contrived. I'm well into another novel of hers and I find myself still thinking about the characters and their journeys in Black and Blue.

You know a book moves you when it's only the second one ever that made you cry. To put it simply, Black and Blue was intense. Frances Benedetto is beaten by her husband on the regular. As much as she tries to be perfect for him, nothing ever seems to be appease the horrible man. She tries for years to build up enough courage to leave, but doesn't until she's be beaten one too many times. In an effort to save her life and protect her young son, Robert, she flees to Florida with the help of a woman who's in the business of helping abused women do this sort of thing. She makes a new life for herself and Robert, changing her name to Beth Crenshaw, and thinking up a whole new life story. A new leaf. A new chapter. Freedom. And yet, she can never shake the feeling that her husband, Bobby, will one day find them. Beth's descriptions and memories of the beatings and abuse, as well the horrific verbal abuse she endured are retold throughout the book. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like - or is like for anyone in this situation - for her. As a mother to a son now, I can't fathom trying to explain why mommy has a black eye and broken nose without instilling fear. And yet, Beth somehow managed to do it. Strength is an understatement for her character and I found myself turning the pages just to see how she was going to overcome the madness. This book, especially the ending, truly wrecked me. The entire time you're pulling for Beth - she did all the right things - getting away, protecting her son, starting over. But Bobby was never out of the picture, as much as she hoped he would be. This book reminded me that trauma never leaves us. We may begin again - and put on a happy face - and even make progress and move beyond the terrible things... but deep down, it's always still there. My faith has taught me that God can heal broken hearts, but my humanness also can't imagine what it would be like to live in constant fear of my spouse (even after leaving him). Tears fell hard in the last 30 pages. A powerful, haunting read.

This is the kind of book that I thought about for a long time afterward. How can you understand someone choosing to stay with an abusive spouse for years and years? This book helps you understand. It's mind boggling to think about how this is the norm in many many families in the world. The situation and story are so sad and it doesn't even end happily, but it's worth the read. Content includes some sex and language.

Very interesting book about a woman and her son who leave her abusive husband. I enjoyed it; it gave me a perspective I lacked prior to reading it.

I was debating whether to give this book one or two stars. I decided on two, but it could have gone either way. This was another one of my used book 10 cent purchases from my local library. And after reading this book, I totally understand why it was being sold for 10 cents.

The novel started slowly and never really took off. In the end, I just felt let down. The subject of domestic violence is a difficult for a woman with my personality characteristic to understand. I just happen to be one of those women from the school of thought that if a man hits me once, then he better take cover because he's going down and that will be the last time because I'm out! Even through reading fiction, I always hope to learn and understand a world outside of my own. That includes behaviors, emotions, lifestyles and motives as much as culture, ethnicity, race relations and socioeconomical status. With " Black and Blue", I just felt like the lead character "Fran/Beth" was stereotypical and weak. As much as I wanted to root for her, I just felt like she wasn't worth my time because she continued to do things so "wrong" from my point of view. I just wanted her to be stronger for herself and for her child and it never happened.

Skip this book...

This is a very good story with subject matter that is important to consider.

Simply put, Black and Blue is the story of a woman taking her child and running away from her abusive husband. It's not a book I would have naturally been drawn to, but I read it for my book club. It's the stuff of the talk show and many a dodgy TV Movie, so I had my doubts. However, Black and Blue is well written. It's also harrowing as you might expect.

I was particularly moved by the fears Fran has for the future of her son, who, although never a direct recipient of the abuse his mother suffered, was always there quietly in the background, unable to shut out his parents destructive relationship. Fran sees the strong resemblence between her beloved son and the man she love/loathes and fears for his future.

Anna Quindlen writes so vividly, you feel she must have had some personal experience, if not, she's done her research well and listened to a lot of women who've been through this ordeal. I can't say I enjoyed this book, but it was as hard to put down as it was to pick up. (Although I really wouldn't want to read it again!)

I don't know why but I found this book really intense and couldn't put it down. I learned for the first time that organizations exist that will relocate battered wives and set them up with completely new identities, and how difficult but very necessary this is for the wife and her child(ren). Anna Quindlen's style is easy to read and follow. In no time I felt I knew Fran and all her emotional and physical bruises well.