| Plot Summary of Family Reunion |
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Mysterious, Feb 2001, 23.95, 290 pp.
ISBN: 0892967323
Though years have passed since the tragedy and Odile Annesley, now eighty, remains in exile in Provence, refusing to have anything to do with family members. However, the octogenarian sends her will to her family. This, in turn, prompts a response from Odile's five adult grandchildren, who want reconciliation before grandmere dies. The quintet agrees to visit grandmere together without asking or warning the former Annesley matriarch.
However, before journeying to Provence, the five sisters first become reacquainted with one another. After a brief period, they arrive at the forlorn remote farm house that grandmere has made home for about four decades since she fled her beloved spouse and children. However, reconciliation proves deadly as history repeats itself and someone wants to eliminate the Annesley heirs.
FAMILY REUNION is an exciting suspense thriller that takes off in the second half of the novel. Much of the first half of the story line is dedicated to introducing the five siblings. This proves a bit slow, leaving the audience to wonder if the book is a character study. However, the device ultimately pays dividends when the group reaches Provence where the action begins (second half of the novel). With a little patience, readers, especially fans of Carol Smith (see THE NEIGHBORS), will enjoy this novel, but must give it a chance as character development takes up a sizable portion of the plot.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Family Reunion |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
How difficult to spot villain?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- wealthy
Age:
- 60's-90's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- France
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 0 (not a murder mystery)
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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