"In 1906, two baby boys are born in wildly different circumstances: one in the comfort of Boston’s best private hospital surrounded by doctors and adoring relatives and the other in a Polish forest accidentally discovered by a hunter. So begin the lives of William Kane and Abel Rosnovski. Because the chapters alternate between William’s and Abel’s lives, one might first think that this novel will be about two boys who switch places at birth, or shortly thereafter. When that doesn’t happen the reader may then think that the novel will be an illustration of the hardworking tendencies of the poor and the indolence of the upper classes. Again, that doesn’t happen. However, even when all traditional plot lines are exhausted, Jeffrey Archer still keeps his readers engaged in the lives of William and Abel. Kane and Abel isn’t a rags to riches story, nor does it have an overt political message. Both the rich and poor characters are intelligent, hardworking and likeable. They are faced with varying levels of adversity and setbacks as they strive to amass their fortunes. It takes nearly half the book to discover the connection between their two lives: a vendetta held by the hotelier on the banker because of a loan refused during the crash of ’29. Even with this connection the men only deliberately meet over the phone; their chance interactions over the years go unnoticed by either until they are nearing death. Archer inspires his readers with Kane and Abel. The hard work of both characters elicits a huge monetary payback. But inspiration also comes when one pauses at the book’s end and thinks about the stranger on the corner or the shopkeeper or fellow library patron who may be effecting and influencing his life in ways he can’t even imagine yet. It may inspire the reader to be kinder to strangers. For this and for Archer’s signature readability, Kane and Abel is a highly recommended read." Erica Mukherjee , 2009
Posted on: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 08:56:06 +0000
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