Black And Blue

Whether you've been abused or simply wish to understand the world of those who have been, BLACK AND BLUE is a must read. Having been in abusive relationships I found myself relating intensely to Fran's situation. Anna Quindlen's writing style is uniquely amazing as she glides back and forth from Fran's past to what she is going through as she evolves away from her abuser, trying to start fresh and find herself and help her son heal from the tragedies all children suffer when the two people they depend on most in the world are at war with one another. When I reached the second to last chapter and I had to put it down. I was afraid of how things would wind up for Fran. But I had to know. So will you.

I read this book in 2hrs. Fully focused, it draws your attention from page 1. The protaganist has a past that is cloaked in mystery till the very end. Couldn't the book down.

If you like crime thrillers that wrap up quickly, this book is a page turner

I personally don't care for the subject matter...however I enjoy Ms. Quindlen's "voice" so I am going to finish this book. I find her writing style very enjoyable and the flow, movement is outstanding.

Reads like a thriller, keeping you on the edge of your seat all the way, but unfortunately, this story is a daily reality in too many families and relationships. What impressed me was the way Quindlen dealt with the frequently asked question of why the abused person doesnt just leave. Because they may become fugitives, afraid for their lives every minute, because they cant ever lead a normal life, because the abuser is likely to stalk and trace them and do further harm, including killing them. In this story the abusive husband was part of the legal system: a police officer. The system sides with the abuser and the spouse has nowhere to turn. I agree with another reviewer that this story should be told more often. Two others with similar plots are Sleeping With the Enemy and Whispers (by Belva Plain).

Impossible to put down. Deep look into the dynamics of spousal abuse and it's impact on families--compounded by unusual circumstances. We are reminded to look for signs in the women and children around us. A compelling story delivered by one of the best.

An eye-opener on domestic violence & why some victims are helplesss to escape.
I hated the perpetrator & wanted the victim to kill him,though I knew the consequences of that payback. It treated a difficult subject realistically.

What an amazing read! Frannie is abused by her husband, Bobby, who is a cop. They have a 10yr old son, Robert. Frannie meets Patty Bancroft who helps women in her situation - finds them new homes, new identities, new lives. Frannie decides she has finally had enough and leaves Bobby.
They move to FL and begin a new life. The story weaves past and present which gives the reader more insight on how awful a marriage it was.
This is a fast read and one you won't forget. My first Quindlen read and certainly not my last.

This is a riveting book about Fran Benedetto, a battered wife and 'victim', who one day decides to take her son and run away from her husband. She takes on a new identity and begins again.

Through flashbacks, inner dialogue and growing relationships, we see this woman's strength despite the ever-present fear that her husband will find her.

Though in novel form, I think this book realistically portrays how an abused woman feels. If only all battered women had the strength that Fran does. As a Clinical Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist, I have recommended this book to several of my clients.

This book has promise and is even readable until you get to the middle of the book. It goes too much into the monotonus detail of a "everyday life". It describes the same thing over and over again until you have to put the book down and walk away for a while. The ending is too abrupt as if the author decided the book was too boring for her to even write. Maybe it's my opinion but any decent author knows when a book is finished and she didn't know what a finished book is.

But you can also appreciate the realism in this book. How the abusee is still in "Love" with the abuser and how the book ended w/o it being all happy like any kind of abuse especially that one is good and will end with total and complete happiness for the child or the parents.

The only authenticity apparent in this sad novel is the range of emotions experienced by Fran. The emotions and indecision experienced by her are very close to those experienced by battered women. The rest of the novel (save the ending) seems to be a battered woman's fantasy getaway, with no bills, an immediate job, and a sweet guy just yearning to be husband to her and father to her son....and he's single. A bit contrived, but it does accurately portray, at times, the difficulty faced when deciding to leave an abusive realtioship.