The length of this piece is really excessive!

I had to persevere through a long reading process just to reach the conclusion.

Moreover, it was extremely difficult to develop empathy for any of the characters.

As I delved into this book, I found myself completely at a loss as to whom I should cheer for.

At various moments, all of them seemed so pitiful.

It's as if they were all trapped in a web of misfortunes and hardships, making it nearly impossible for the reader to form a genuine connection or take sides.

The lack of relatable or likable characters really detracted from the overall reading experience.

It left me with a sense of dissatisfaction and a feeling that the story could have been more engaging if the characters had been more developed and easier to empathize with.

I so badly wish this sequel and final installment didn't end.

This was the perfect way to wrap up the Van Zale legacy! The story was engaging from start to finish, with well-developed characters and a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat.

What's so fantastic about this book is that you don't necessarily have to read the first book. Everything is so well explained and summarized in this book that you are never lost at any point. The author did an excellent job of providing background information and context, making it easy for new readers to jump right in.

I also enjoyed the journey from the late thirties into the late sixties and all of the historic parallels. It was fascinating to see how the characters' lives were affected by the events of the time, such as World War II and the civil rights movement. The author's attention to detail really added to the authenticity of the story.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or a good family saga. It's a must-read!

** Please Note: This review contains a few spoilers!!**

This is truly an outstanding book. I can empathize with those who thought it was overly verbose, especially in certain parts. However, having a penchant for reading hefty tomes, it didn't pose a significant issue for me. What I truly appreciate about Susan Howatch's family sagas is her unique narrative style. Six of the main characters each pen a section in the first person, offering multiple perspectives on the individuals in question. This allows characters who might be regarded unfavorably by other narrators to be presented in an entirely new light, revealing them to be rather ordinary and likable human beings. The only exceptions, in my opinion, are Steven Sullivan from the prequel "The Rich are Different" and his son Scott. Even after perusing their own accounts, I couldn't muster any affection or even sympathy for these two characters.

From the reviews here, it's evident that Cornelius is generally disliked. But I've always had a soft spot for him and definitely felt sorry for him, especially (**SPOILER!!**) after he contracted mumps, rendering him sterile. This was a devastating blow as he truly desired more children (not for power). It also severely strained his relationship with Alicia. What I found completely absurd (and not very believable) was that Cornelius and Alicia seemingly couldn't communicate about this tragedy at any point afterward. Alicia is a peculiar character; she harbors a wealth of human emotions but refuses to display them or share them with anyone, least of all her husband.

In my view, the real villain of the story isn't Cornelius but Scott. (**SPOILER!!**) The conclusion of this book is particularly unpleasant when Vicky tells Cornelius she never wants to see him again or have any further contact. Vicky appears to be a complete imbecile. Her servile attitude towards Scott and her unwavering desire to marry him instead of kicking him to the curb is incomprehensible. He's utterly selfish and self-centered, treats her poorly, and even resorts to violence on one occasion. Yet, she still won't ditch him as he so rightfully deserves. As the story progresses, we witness how Scott manipulates Vicky in an attempt to destroy the bank. Fortunately, thanks to one of Cornelius's old friends who alerts him, Scott's malicious schemes are ultimately exposed. Vicky should count herself lucky that her father did everything in his power to prevent her from marrying Scott. Scott's ultimate fate is the epitome of poetic justice, but the clueless Vicky is too dense to realize what Scott is truly like and that he's using her as a pawn. She can't even fathom that Scott poses a threat to her own father!

One aspect I don't care for in Howatch's writing is her tendency to abruptly kill off certain characters without warning. (**SPOILER!!**) In this book, we're casually informed that Dinah Slade, her son Alan, and her stepson Tony were all killed during the war. While this may be historically accurate, when we're so nonchalantly told that these major characters from the prequel simply happened to be killed in the war, it does seem rather sudden. The same goes for Nigel, Mark's brother in "Penmarric." We never actually meet Nigel, but he exists, and all of a sudden, we learn first that he and Mark are estranged, without any prior explanation, and then that Nigel has been killed in South Africa. One wonders why Howatch bothered to introduce him as a character. However, since Dinah, Alan, and Tony are all significant characters in "The Rich are Different," their annihilation by Howatch is deeply dissatisfying.

Despite these drawbacks, I still want to bestow five stars upon this book due to its magnificent character portrayal and captivating story.

Well, I finally managed to finish these rather intimidating works. They were each over 700 pages long!

As you all know, I've recently been going through my "To Read" shelf and looking up every book there to assess whether it was worth my time. At first, I only had an old copy of "Sins of the Fathers" that I think might have belonged to my aunt. When I searched for information online, I was disappointed to find out that it was the second book in a series. I really hate starting a story in the middle! So, I almost threw it away.

However, I then read a review that pointed out something quite interesting. Susan Howatch bases her fiction on the lives of historical figures, creating parallel characters in different time periods that echo the past. In the case of the Van Zale series, it's built on events from Ancient Rome. The first book uses the lives of Julius Caesar, his wives, and contemporaries like Cleopatra and Marc Antony, but it's set in the United States between World War 1 and World War 2. The second book focuses on Julius Caesar's heir Octavian, and his wives and children, set in the years following World War 2 up to the 1960s.

This information intrigued me enough to go ahead and get a copy of the first book and start reading.

First of all, these books are extremely long. There's a lot of detail, and it was definitely outside my comfort zone. The first book is set in the world of high finance in the teens and twenties, following Paul Van Zale as he rises from poverty and obscurity to a life of wealth, power, and privilege. On the plus side, Howatch managed to make the finance stuff quite interesting, and the historical information, especially about the Wall Street crash, was engaging. However, the negative aspect was that the personal lives of these characters were like a bad soap opera. I could have done without a lot of that.

Another thing that was both a plus and a possible minus was the way Howatch tells the story from different points of view. It's not done in the immediate back-and-forth style that many modern writers use. Instead, several chapters are narrated by one character, and then it suddenly switches to a new character's perspective. I found this fascinating in many ways, but it also made the reading experience a bit strange at times. I would find myself liking someone I hadn't liked much before. (Although this wasn't always the case. Some narrators were still terrible people, and no matter how much you got into their heads, you still didn't care about them.) The other thing was that, particularly in the second book, there was one whole section that was really unpleasant to read. The language and subject matter were very off-putting, and I struggled to get through it.

I have to say that I'm really glad I read the first book before the second. The second book really depends on the events of the first to make sense of everything the characters do. Paul Van Zale's presence looms large over the whole series, even though he dies in the first book.

In conclusion, these are strange books to review. I went back and forth in my feelings about them as I was reading. In the end, I decided to give two stars to the first book, "The Rich are Different," based on the fascinating life of Paul Van Zale and the drama of his life and death. The second book, however, is only getting one star. I found most of it boring and somewhat gross, with too much emphasis on people hopping in and out of bed. But Vicki's narration in the last chapter did pull it up a bit, so it's probably more like 1.5 stars.

I can't really recommend these books unless you're a big fan of Julius Caesar or have a particular interest in the historical world of banking and high finance. I didn't really care for Howatch's style or subject matter, so I won't be reading more of her books. But I'm still glad I read this series for the historical interest alone.

This new piece is

certainly not nearly as good as the first one.

It seems to be overly filled with philosophizing and soul searching, which is really not to my taste.

While I understand the importance of delving deep into such aspects in some works, in this case, it feels a bit excessive.

The first one had a certain charm and simplicity that made it more engaging and enjoyable.

This new one, on the other hand, gets lost in its own thoughts and musings, making it a bit of a chore to get through.

I was really hoping for something more along the lines of the first one, but unfortunately, this just doesn't quite measure up.

Maybe with a bit of refinement and a reduction in the amount of philosophizing and soul searching, it could have been a better piece.

As it stands now, however, it falls short of my expectations.

I would never have thought to pick up this book if I had known what it was about before I bought it. It is what I imagine as "soap opera drama". This may not be entirely accurate, as I've never really gotten invested enough in a soap to have a sense of what they are like beyond the tropes. But the changing family and romantic relationships between the characters, and who is sleeping with who, are huge drivers of the plot, which is where I get that impression.

No, that would never have piqued my interest. But luckily, when I saw this book on sale at my local library for 50 cents, the title intrigued me enough that I figured what the heck, and I picked it up. (I also got my first Sharon Kay Penman book that day, so looking back in time, it was a remarkably good haul - I still have both books, tattered to the point where nobody else could love them, despite several brutal purges to my collection in the 17 years since).

I have now read this book three times. First when I was fifteen years old; at that time, I had never been in a relationship or even had a job. And I read it most recently now as a father of a 20-month-old girl, with a ten-year career and a fifteen-year-long relationship. So my vantage points are very different, and yet every time I've read this book, I've been utterly engrossed in it.

This follows Howatch's structure of having six parts, each narrated in first person by a different character (with a very interesting twist in the fifth part), and (which I never knew until the third time I read it) the plot being based on a different historical time period and locale than that the story is told in (plot based on the reign of Caesar Augustus, but transposed on top of bankers in New York from the 40s through to the 60s).

Ultimately, what it comes down to is that the characters are so wonderfully alive, their needs and wants so vividly painted, their flaws so heartbreaking. The first and second half follow different generations, and as a result, it feels like there's a bit of a tone shift in the book (the fourth and fifth sections also struck me as the most experimental, which may have played a part in this). Yet everything comes together delightfully. Having finally read the book that precedes this, the third time through, I encountered a lot of subtle nuance I had missed on previous reads regarding the histories of the characters and their various ties. By the end, everything is so intertwined, it's hard to imagine how the author will tie things up, but I find the ending very satisfying, if not necessarily cheerful.

The morality is very interesting. In earlier read throughs, I always felt that the actions of a certain character at the end were very clearly wicked. Yet in my most recent read through, although I still think they were wicked, I also don't see a good alternative for that character given the situation, and a character I remember liking very well, I found a bit more morally grey this time.

One warning, the views on women expressed in this book, especially by the male characters, are fairly old fashioned, which is probably appropriate for the time it takes place in, but may not be appealing to those who prefer a more modern approach to female characters.

Yet the ending is just so perfect, in my mind, in its execution, even if a little bleak, and a great close out to this duopoly - certainly better than the end of the first book, which, while good, was not as great in my opinion.

A highly recommended read.

I did not realize that this book was a sequel.

Consequently, I didn't read the first book.

However, to my pleasant surprise, this book stands on its own quite well.

I really enjoyed reading it.

It reminded me of classic novels like Kane and Abel and Master of the Game.

The story revolves around a wealthy family with all their dysfunctions, which makes it all the more engaging.

It took me a while to get fully invested in the characters, and I blame this on not reading the prior book.

This book is very long, with over 600 pages, but it positively held my attention throughout.

Once again, there are characters that you dislike and those that are easier to like.

This contrast is the interesting and involving part of this book.

I gave it 5 stars because it has all the elements that a novel should have.

It is a captivating read that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Despite not reading the first book, I was able to follow the story and appreciate its depth and complexity.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good family drama with well-developed characters and a compelling plot.

When I first delved into all these Susan H. family sagas many years ago, I was completely oblivious to the fact that they were based on historical figures.

Now, as I am rereading them armed with a significantly greater amount of historical knowledge, I find myself quite comfortable with Penmarric and Cashelmara and their captivating tales of English kings. However, I struggle a bit with the details of Caesar and Cleopatra, and those that "The Rich are Different" and its sequel follow.

(So now I will have to intensively study that aspect and reread them at a later time). Despite this, knowing this background makes it rather difficult to be overly critical of the plot. In this particular case, I did feel a bit restless towards the end. Nevertheless, these books remain highly entertaining and engaging.

They offer a unique blend of fictional storytelling and historical context that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. Whether you are a history enthusiast or simply someone who enjoys a good saga, these books are well worth the read.

Even with my newfound awareness of the historical underpinnings, I still find myself drawn into the lives and dramas of the characters, eager to see how their stories unfold.

It is this combination of entertainment and education that makes Susan H.'s family sagas so enduring and enjoyable.

I made a mistake and read this one first without realizing in a timely manner that it is a sequel to The Rich Are Different.

However, despite this initial oversight, I found the book to be truly excellent.

The story was engaging from the very beginning, with well-developed characters and a captivating plot.

The author's writing style was also very enjoyable, making it easy to get lost in the world she had created.

Even though I had not read the first book, I was still able to follow the story and understand the relationships between the characters.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read, regardless of whether they have read the prequel or not.

The article has

some good sections, which are quite interesting and engaging. However, for the most part, it is just so-so. The content seems rather dull and lacks the excitement and energy that would make it truly captivating.

Moreover, it is REALLY long, which can be a bit overwhelming for the reader. It feels as if the author has included a lot of unnecessary details and information that could have been trimmed down to make the article more concise and to the point.

Overall, while there are some redeeming qualities, the article needs some work to make it more interesting, engaging, and accessible to a wider audience. Perhaps the author could consider restructuring the content, adding more vivid examples and illustrations, and reducing the length to make it more palatable.

An Entrancing Family Saga

Just like the captivating game show Wheel of Fortune, I discovered this book to be extremely engaging, to the extent that it was almost addictive. The author is truly brilliant when it comes to depicting characters and relationships. The way she presents them sucks you right in and makes you keep turning the pages in a hypnotic state. You become completely immersed in the lives and dramas of the characters, feeling their joys and sorrows as if they were your own. The detailed descriptions and the complex web of relationships add depth and authenticity to the story. It's a family saga that grabs your attention from the very beginning and holds it until the very end. You can't help but be drawn into this world and become a part of it.

Full review to follow, but loved this as much as the first time around!

This statement indicates that a more detailed and comprehensive review is即将到来. However, even without the full review, the person expressing this sentiment clearly has a great affection for whatever "this" is. It could be a book, a movie, a song, or any other form of media or experience.

The fact that they loved it as much as the first time shows that it has retained its charm and appeal. This is no small feat, as many things can lose their luster upon repeated exposure. It suggests that there is something special about this particular thing that keeps drawing the person back and making them feel the same level of enjoyment and excitement.

Perhaps it is the engaging story, the captivating characters, the beautiful music, or the unique atmosphere. Whatever it is, it has left a lasting impression and has become a favorite that they will continue to cherish.

As we await the full review, we can only imagine the details and insights that will be shared about this wonderful thing. In the meantime, we can appreciate the enthusiasm and love that the person has expressed for it.