Black and Blue

This book is well written and researched. To those women who have lived and suffered through abusive relationships, left and attempted to start over especially with a child know it is extremely difficult. This story gave insight into the life of a battered women and how she feels through the experience before and after. A Must Read for All.

This book was a "can't put down book". It was heart wrenching and made me shed tears!

This book was amazing. I read it overnight... I had a really hard time attempting to put it down. It was really captivating.

While this book couldn't compare with the excellence of Quindlen's One True Thing, it does strike a similar chord throughout. The characters seem real and several times throughout the book it was easy to imagine how they must have felt running away from their lives and the hands of a brutal man - Fran's husband.
The book also raises some interesting issues captured on tv magazine shows about the work and goals of the underground organizations that help abused women and their children leave their marriages. While Quindlen's main character, Fran, clearly was abused, the conduct of the underground leader was questionable at times. That is likely an element of the story that would not have been worked in lest the author not had a journalism background. Unlike other authors, Quindlen was able to make the movement from past to present seamless, though easily discernable. I was never confused at all as can happen when this technique is used. Overall, a good read, but not Quindlen's most engaging work. A little too Harlequin "romancey" at times.