terrible - so repetitive
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This is my second Danielle Steel after reading 'Jewels' which was totally engrossing. In comparison to that (any any other book for that matter) this one is terrible! It is SO repetitive that I had to stop reading it word for word after about 15 minutes and skim read the rest of the book in another 15. It just goes on an on about how the princess feels the weight/burden/yoke of responsibility on her shoulders/around her neck/suffocating her/smothering her. You get my drift. The thesarus was clearly a trusty friend while this was being written but the amount of repetition is such that even the thesarus can't come up with enough variations on the endlessly repeated points. Some reviews of other Danielle Steel's have suggested that she writes some herself and others are written by a ghostwriter and/or on autopilot, I think this is an example of the latter.
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Disappointed!
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Being a DS fan (No greater love by DS is the best!) I was very disappointed with this book, I read it all as I thought maybe the story will pick up, unfortunately it did not! The book repeats so many things i.e. how her brother is visiting abroad...again and again, how her passport bears only one name and she is afraid her identity will be revealed, why not make yourself another passport? Being a princess it cannot be too difficult! Her one year in Africa, her one year in Africa, her one year in Africa, hopefully you catch my drift. The end was too predictable(and I don't mean the happy ending).
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Classic Danielle Steel
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Over the years I have read around twenty of Danielle Steel's novels. A small proportion in fact considering she has written over 70! Not an author that I am a huge fan of, but having said that her books are always a satisfying quick and easy read. Often rather slushy though in a happy ever after way.
H.R.H is no exception. The heroine is Princess Christianna of Liechtenstein who finds that the role in life she was born to an intolerable burden. Honor, duty sacrifice and courage mean she battles to come to terms with the conflicts her life imposes on her.
She knows that one day she will have no choice but to take on the responsibilities expected of her. So determined to have some freedom before she does so, persuades her father to let her volunteer for the Red Cross in East Africa. From her protected life in a palace she travels to Eritrea and experiences the chaos of a country suffering from the devastations of terrorism and disease and on the brink of war with Ethiopia. Here as part of a team in an international relief camp, she discovers freedom from her royal duties and a passion for the work. This was only ever going to be a temporary respite though and as violence approaches she has to once again return to her real world torn between duty and love.
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The queen of fairytales!
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Once upon a time there was a young princess in a small European country. Princess Christianna was beautiful, kind and intelligent, the perfect escort for her widowed father, Prince Hans Josef, at his numerous official functions. In spite of her youth, Princess Christianna as the First Lady of her country, did her duty with style, warmth and elegance. Dressed exquisitely, she opened hospitals and libraries. Visited old peoples' homes. She cut ribbons, held speeches and received bouquets of flowers.
But, in truth, the Princess loved far more to play in the mud with her dog Charles, wearing jeans and no makeup. She longed to do something more worthwile than parading in couture clothes and looking lovely.
Christianna had a gift. A gift which led her to join The International Red Cross as a voluntary aid and choose an entirely different path in life than the one she had been born to.
I leave the rest to the reader. And it is an interesting read. Danielle Steel knows her facts both politically and socially. The International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. She takes us far away from the splendeour of the royal castle in Vaduz and glamourous couture ball gowns.
Christianna does not look for love. Neither is there a prince travelling with a glass shoe searching for the one it will fit. But as in all fairytales there is love. And as in all fairytales involving a royal princess, there are obstacles.
Is it unfair to new readers to reveal that they lived happily ever after?
I don't think so. At least not to faithful Danielle Steel fans. All fairytales have a happy ending. This one is no exception.
Danielle Steel has created a whole new literary genre with her authorship - well written, intelligent fairytales for grownups. As such she is a master. As such she deserves her five stars.
A critic once called Danielle Steel a literary phenomenon. And she certainly is.
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