The Prodigal Daughter Mass Market Paperback – May 16, 2004

Archer has tried to make a stand-alone novel that also serves as a sequel to the original Kane and Abel, an epic novel which we read 30 years ago or so. We listened to Kane and Abel again this year on a long driving trip, and then bought this sequel and listened to it also. The Prodigal Daughter takes the reader (listener) back through a huge amount of set-up that readers familiar with Kane and Abel really don't need, but which is inserted for the benefit of people who are stepping into the series at this second book. That makes it a little tedious at the outset. But the really tedious parts come during descriptions of the heroine's political campaigns, which read like a political procedural or maybe a Wikipedia report for chapter after chapter. This book lacks the personal attachment we experienced with Kane and Abel, as well as its sweeping perspective and building collision of characters, and substitutes instead a lightweight chronicle of the second generation. If we had had anything better to do on the drive, we probably would have abandoned this one at the halfway point.

How disappointing! I am about half way through the second book of this Jeffrey Archer Kane and Abel series and I had to stop and write a review before going any further. I paid FULL price for this book, I did not get it free or as a sample to write a review. I had just finished reading the first book, Kane and Abel, and was interested enough to see where the next book would lead. Imagine my disappointment when the first 200 pages of this book are almost word for word the same as in the first book!I have been duped into paying more money for the same product. I expect that if I buy a "new" book, it will actually be a new story, or at least a continuation of the story line.I understand that a recap of the first book is essential, but to have the first 200 pages of a 500 page book (and keep in mind that is so far!) the same as what I have previously read, is duplicitous and not worth paying full price or wasting my time with.I am glad that I put off buying the third book of this series. I may be fooled once, but won't be fooled twice.

This was the first book I just could NOT finish. Sure I purchased books in the past that were slow or even boring but I always finished them in the hopes that the ending would redeem the book. NOT THIS BOOK.The first third of the book was a copy of Kane and Abel. The middle got somewhat interesting, at this point I still had hope. Then the last third of the book was a lesson on the Democratic Party. . Most of this portion of the book was speeches given by political figures from the 60's. If I wanted to read a political book I would have chosen one of that genre. There was no character development. It was just all about Floryntina and her own ambitions. Step aside husband, move over children you are in her way. I don't even know why the author gave her children or a husband. Everyone was just background and it was about Floryntina and her quest to save the world.If I wanted a political lesson on the Democratic Party I could have saved myself some money and watched MSNBC. I will never read another Jeffrey Archer book- even if it is FREE.

Jeffery Archer is a favorite author...until now. His Clifton Chronicles series was great, particularly the first couple of books. But then it went down hill and this was the worst so far. Bad enough that I will not read another. The only reason I gave it a two star rather than a one star is that I thought the ending was good. But the first half of the book was a summarization of Kane and Able. I have a theory that the quality of an author's books decreases the more they publish (Clancy"s best was his first: Hunt for Red October) and Archer fits this theory. His best was his first and this was his worst that I have read (won't read Should We Tell the President).

This is supposed to be a sequel but is not so much. It's still good...but not as satisfying as Kane and Abel...and a far cry from The Clifton Chronicles (Archer's best of the 9 i have read). The 3rd in the series is also a good read but even less relevant to what was started in Kane and Abel. Prodigal Daughter gets into some pretty repetitive political machinations which might appeal to West Wing or House of Cards fans.

Kind of a parallel book to Cain and Abel but from the perspective of Abel's daughter. If you read Cain and Abel, then this book is a reasonably nice follow along as it fills in some of the blanks in the main book (Cain and Abel). I would call Cain and Abel historical fiction as it follows more or less the history of the US and Europe starting from the beginning of WW1. But the Prodigal Daughter deviates from history into pure fiction with the evolution of Florentyna's political career. I enjoyed the whole series as I have pretty much all Archer's other books. No where near a James Clavellwho I still think is amongst the best ever but a fun read.

I gave up on this book half way through. I have truly loved all Jeffrey Archers books (especially The Clifton Chronicles ) but the second half of this one was politics politics politics. Heavy going and not for me I'm sorry to say.

A superb sequel to Kane and Abel. The first part of the book recaps the earlier book, and i was concerned that I would be just re-reading the same tale, but we are seeing the story from another perspective and we soon move on to new ground. Once again, I could not put this down until I know what happened.

This is my second reading of this book after a 20 year gap. Whilst I don't think it is quite as good as Kane and Abel, it is still a riveting read following the fortunes of the two main families with several twists and turns.

I haven't read any of Jeffrey Archer's books that weren't enjoyable. They are always full of great characters that really come to life so you feel as though you know them. The stories are always interesting and you really don't want to put the books down once you start reading them.

What a belter of a story. I enjoyed the first one but thought it was rushed at the end. This one left me on tenta hooks. A must read , now I have to buy the third instalment. Great political thriller!