(5) = Best; (4) = Better; (3) = Good; (2) = Fair; (1) = OK
These abstracts serve as reminders to myself; they serve to "jog" my memory on what a book was all about. That's all. This is not a literary critique, not a social commentary, and certainly nothing profound to warrant further discussion.
(5) = means that I really enjoyed this book; (1) = means I finished reading it but wonder if my time could have been better spent elsewhere.
Jake Cazalet was a brave young man in Vietnam who saved the life of a widowed Frenchwoman (Countess Jacqueline de Brissac) and a brief passionate affair ensued. Twenty years later the young hero becomes a Senator and on a visit to Paris , he sees his former love again for the first time, and she directs his attention to a beautiful young woman across the room. Her daughter, she says. And his. Their secret. Marie de Brissac.
A few years later the Senator learns too late of Jacqueline’s death when he was at a meeting in Paris. He decides to visit her family mausoleum and places a rose on her grave. There is a dramatic scene when the daughter appears, lays a rose by the tomb and says softly, “There you are mama. One from each of us, the two people in the world who loves you best.” She turned around and smiled. “So here we are, Father.”
Jacqueline had told Marie all about her relationship with Jake when she was dying. “Cazalet wept again, (Marie) put her arms around his neck and held him close.” “I must put things right. You must allow me to acknowledge you.” “No” she said, “My mother was admant about that, and so am I…an illegitimate daughter is the last thing you need…your political opponents would have a field day.” Jake agreed reluctantly.
Jake runs for the Presidency and is elected. The stage is now set for for the main theme which is about terrorists who kidnap Marie and threaten to kill her if the President does not do what they want him to do. They will execute her if he makes any attempt to contact an agency for help. He has ten days to comply with their request. The President turns to the only men who can help rescue her. Who are these terrorists? How did they find out she was the President’s daughter? Who else knew about this relationship? How did the President’s men find out where the daughter was held? You need to read the whole book or else see the movie to find out what happens. (5).
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