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Customer Reviews for Random House, Inc White Picket Fences
Random House, Inc White Picket Fences
When the storybook-perfect Janvier family temporarily "adopts" their teenaged niece, Tally, they assume they'll be helping her. But when Tally befriends her cousin, Chase, she soon realizes that he badly needs encouragement, too. When the troubled teens interview two holocaust survivors for a sociology project, will they trigger the healing process that everybody needs? 352 pages, softcover from Waterbrook.
Average Customer Rating:
(22 Reviews) 22
Rating Snapshot (22 reviews)
5 stars
11
4 stars
10
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
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3 out of 475%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for White Picket Fences
Review 1 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Truth behind the "White Picket Fences" of life.
Date:August 28, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
A wonderful story of truth and restoration. We learn the secrets in the lives of several people and learn the mystical way they overlap in each other's lives. We are drawn into the personal lives of the Janvier family, their niece, her father, and two old men in a nursing home, and as their stories are told we discover the unexpected thread joining them together in a marvelous way that only God can be orchestrating.
In my opinion, the author does not make use of the many opportunities to speak of God, use prayer, or teaching in the situation that present themselves in this story. Certainly not like the books I am accustomed to read. It is not what I would have classified a "Christian Fiction", but certainly a great story of the power of God over the circumstances of our lives.
It's a great book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
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Review 2 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Enjoyed
Date:June 7, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
enjoyable, not sure how true to life, how did a girl brought up the way she was get so much wisdom?
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Review 3 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:March 5, 2012
Lola
Location:AZ
Age:18-24
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
This book was amzing. I did not want to put it down. I was somewhat disappointed with the end as it kind of left me hanging. I would hope that there will be a sequel.
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Review 4 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:January 13, 2011
Art Hershberger
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
3
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
2
out of
5
I had read 2 of Meissner's books and really enjoyed them. I was looking forward to enjoying another one of her books, but was disappointed to find that she would use swear words in a Christian fiction book. I would be embarrassed to give this book to anyone because of the language that was used in the book.
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Review 5 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:March 29, 2010
Sometimes our deepest family secrets are the ones we refuse to admit--even to ourselves. Sixteen-year-old Tally Bachmann forces more than one issue when a sudden death and an absentee father thrust her into a new environment. Her sudden encounter with what appears to be the perfect suburban life of the Janvier family (her San Diego aunt, uncle, and cousins) exposes her own wounds. But it also brings to the surface the hidden hurts of her new family members as they struggle to relate to one another and to a girl they barely know.Powerful storytelling draws us in. Believable characters keep us reading. Layers of intrigue--including an unusual link to the Holocaust--add depth. And an underlying theme of redemption provides needed impetus to look behind our own white picket fences and seek relational transparency. Bravo to this award-winning author and White Picket Fences for another thoughtful read.
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Review 6 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 28, 2009
Patty
I really enjoyed this book. There were all kinds of aspects to it that made it interesting including suspense, anger, mystery, and even some history. My favorite character was Tally. She has lived an interesting life with her father Bart, but she still seems pretty grounded and level-headed. I kind of relate to her in some ways, which I guess is why shes my favorite character. I would definitely highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good book. I do have to say that I was disappointed in a few cuss words placed in there. Maybe it's just me, but when I look for Christian fiction I expect to not read a book with that in it. Other than that, I loved the book.
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Review 7 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 16, 2009
Erika Chapman
Loved The Shape of Mercy and couldn't wait to pick up another Susan Meissner book. I can't believe it has taken me so long to read her stuff. I am not quite done with White Picket Fences but I am LOVING it! Good stuff! YEA for another great book by Meissner!
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Review 8 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 15, 2009
Sara @ Embracing Destiny
The theme of the novel is secrets and the destructive effects of keeping them. The characters are complex rather than one-dimensional. The storyline is detailed and interweaves many characters in unexpected ways. This book is not an easy read if you're looking for escapist fiction or "fluff." It's not a typical romantic novel with a happy ending. I found it hard to get into at first, but I was glad I stuck with it. Even though the ending isn't entirely satisfactory as far as resolution for all the characters, I feel the book was worth reading. If you enjoy fiction that makes you think and question what goes on beyond the surface of those seemingly perfect "white picket fences," you should add this to your reading list.
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Review 9 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 14, 2009
Sonia
This book is a must read. Following Tally, finding out about Chase's past, and reading the interview from the holocaust survivors, this is a MUST read. Could not put the book down, it was too good.
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Review 10 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 14, 2009
Bern
Susan Meissner does an excellent job of reminding us that what is on the outside, isn't necessarily what is to be found on the inside. In her book, White Picket Fences, we're introduced to the Amanda Janvier and her family. On the outside, she and her husband, Neil are the perfect, church going family with 2 children - a teenage son, Chase and a preteen daughter, Delcey. Amanda's brother's choices force her to take in her sixteen year old niece, Tally, who is more or less a stranger to their family.As Tally slowly acclimates to the family, she and Chase bond as they work on a sociology project interviewing Holocaust survivors. Through the telling of the elder gentlemen's story, Meissner skillfully weaves a story that ties both the past and the present together in ways you would not imagine. And although, it would seem that it is Tally who is the most broken of the characters, as the story unfolds - it is really the Javier family that is broken - and the brokenness lies deep inside each of the characters.I appreciated Meissner's ability to demonstrate the ways so many of us cope with situations that we are uncomfortable with and how years of doing so can cause real damage to our most precious relationships. As I was reading, I was reminded of the verse in Psalm 44:21 that says, "Would God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart." It's the secrets that the characters keep in this story that cause damage that could otherwise be avoided. In the story, both Neil and Amanda have fooled themselves into believing that if they don't say it out loud and don't talk about a problem - then nothing is really wrong. Yet, as this verse states, God knows the secrets of the heart.This was genuinely thought-provoking book and it caused me to think about the many ways we strive to make everything look great on the outside - forgetting that what's most important is what it found on the inside.
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Review 11 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 13, 2009
White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner is a powerful novel about how the past shapes the future. Amanda Janvier gets more than she expected when she allows her niece, Tally, to stay with her family after her brother/Tally's father disappears. Amanda has worked hard to keep up the illusion of the perfect family, but Tally's arrival exposes the cracks in the foundations, and a school project between Tally and Amanda's son Chase brings up long hidden secrets and wounds which will leave them all permanently changed. Meissner's books are lyrical and haunting telling truths about the present by creating parallels in the past. With fully-fleshed characters and realistic dialogue, her stories captivate both the reader's heart and mind.
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Review 12 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 13, 2009
I really liked Susan's book, "The Shape of Mercy" but it raises the bar awfully high for any future books she has come out. She does not disappoint. In White Picket Fences we meet Neil and Amanda and their kids Chase and D who live the perfect life in a house with a white picket fence. They take in Amanda's niece, Tally, when her dad disappears. Tally turns the family life upside down (not intentionally) by befriending Chase and all kinds of issues arise to the surface. Is Neil and Amanda's perfect marriage really perfect? What really happened when Chase was in a fire at age 4? Why is Tally's dad in Europe when his daughter needs him?Chase and Tally have a school project that leads them to interview two old men at a nursing home that survived Treblinka during the Holocaust. This opens doors to the past that no one new existed. Susan Meissner has a gift for bringing the past to the present in an inspiring way. She does it again in this book and I loved it! Secrets are exposed, mysteries unravel and darkness comes to light in "White Picket Fences".
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Review 13 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 13, 2009
This was my first book I've read by this author. I really enjoyed it. The overall theme is honesty. What happens when you think you are protecting someone and are forced to either lie or just not talk about it? The proverbial white elephant in the room? Overall it was a good book. I felt the ending left a few things hanging but I liked it. Very enjoyable and got me thinking.
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Review 14 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 13, 2009
Even as I write this, I cannot believe Im saying this. Now, I read Susan Meissners last book, The Shape of Mercy and really loved it. It is one of my favorite books. I never thought she could top that book, but she did. White Picket Fences was extraordinary. I was so engrossed in the story and the characters, the pages just flew by. Ms. Meissner has a knack for bringing a historical event into the present day story, and the two flow seamlessly. This book really brings to life the horror of the holocaust and those terrifying times for the victims. It is a period in human history that should never be forgotten (or denied by crazies). There was a lot of information I never knew about the holocaust included in this story, which made this book very educational as well as spiritually uplifting. The present day story of the Janvier family deals with issues that many families today deal with. Looks can be deceiving and we all try to hide behind our own white picket fences so the rest of the world will not discover our secrets. White Picket Fences is a tremendous book and very well written. It is a bit heavy, but not overwhelming. Susan Meissner has amazed me yet again and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
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Review 15 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 13, 2009
When I heard about this new novel from Susan Meissner, I was extremely excited because to me "The Shape of Mercy" is now a classic that all students who study the Crucible should also have to read. While "White Picket Fences" is a completely different type of book it is still incredible writing. For me, I would not necessarily call it a favorite, but overall as a whole (redundant I know, but making a point here) I enjoyed it. Looking at the cover of this book tells you the most of what you need to know. There is the white picket fence slats and then a spiders web weaving it's way right in. Perfectionism would make one want to get rid of the web and go back to perfection, but the artistic persona would believe that the web was part of the whole picture that made it a different kind of perfect. Really, this cover could not be more appropriate for the message within the story.There were times while reading that I was just ready for something to happen. While there are some action events in this novel that is not the type of novel that it is. This book is more about the inner part of a person and how things change and affect it. It is incredible the way that Susan writes and she can really get to you as a reader and challenge your own emotions and the way that you see things in your own life. So many people try to live the life of perfection and it is interesting how they react when things do not quite pan out that way. The questions and changes to the lives of the characters is not what one would expect after reading the book blurb or hearing a summary. There are psychological elements here and they are barely touched upon in the writing, but present non the less.I personally, put this book on the keeper shelf, but recommend that when you read it to have some time available so that you can mull over just what it is that you should take from reading the novel.
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Review 16 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 10, 2009
Emily
White Picket Fences is a raw, emotional, and spellbinding book full of tangible characters and realistic family relationships. The story is told through the viewpoint of a different character in each chapter. In doing this the author is able to delve deep into the experiences and emotions of a number of main players in the story instead of just one. This book is a story about family. It is about the past and how it affects the present. It is about pain and whether or not it is best to allow pain and trauma to remain hidden or reveal it to the light. It is about the relationships between parents and their children. It is a story of love between a man and a woman. And it is a story about friendship and trust. There are many secrets in the story. Some secrets are fresh while others remain from generations past. Some of these secrets will be revealed and wrestled with in the opening chapters and others remain buried until the final pages. It is a captivating story that holds your attention cover to cover.
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Review 17 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 9, 2009
Excellent book, characters, and plot. Also shows the dangers of families bottling things up instead of dealing with them. The Christian content could have been a little heavier, and there were a couple of inappropriate words, but overall, I recommend the book - very good read.
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Review 18 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 9, 2009
How many of us have the "white picket fence" image but inside we are dealing with secrets and pain that we hope will go away if we ignore it? In the beginning, I felt kinda sorry for Tally as she again is left with family she doesn't know and her dad disappears to another country. As she settles with her Aunt Amanda's family which everyone hopes will bring stability to Tally's life, you soon realize that emotionally, Tally is more stable than the rest of the household. This is a great story that will help you see that the secrets we all struggle with will not go away as long as we ignore them. In fact, the truth will set you free.
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Review 19 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 9, 2009
Things are not always what they seem behind the white picket fences. As young girls we dream of living in a house with a white picket fence. It seems to be the picture of a home that is just perfect. But as we get to know the Janvier family, we see there are secrets, secrets that are silently breaking this family apart. As Tally's father leaves her with her Aunt Amanda, we see the secrets beginning to unfold. We find Chase, the teenage son who is struggling with remembering a past that haunts him, while his parents would rather leave it behind. We see Tally and Chase form a bond as they begin a school project. During their project they meet two Holocaust survivors who share their stories, and as their stories unfold, the past of secrets is becoming clear. Amanda wants to confront Chase with the past, but her husband Neil wants to leave it where it is, not wanting to face what could be. Susan Meissner brings to light that secrets can destroy a family. Secrets hurt those who are holding them, and those too who are in the dark. When the Janvier family uncovers the truth, they are set free from a past that has haunted them. I enjoyed reading each page of this story, a story that touches so many of our lives, a story of secrets. I could identify with the mother, Amanda, who loves her son so much she wants to see him unleash the past so he can move forward, but also the father, Neil, who is fearful of what remembering the past may do to his son. Susan Meissner weaves the characters of this story together so well, you feel as though you are there right with them. This is one that I will share with friends, one that shows us to be open and honest with those we love. Secrets do not protect us, they destroy all that is good. Come and find out all that happens to the Janvier family through this beautiful, but haunting story of secrets.
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Review 20 for White Picket Fences
Overall Rating:
Date:November 9, 2009
Susan Meissner is one of the most prolific authors that I have ever read. Whenever someone asks me to recommend a new author or some books to them, I ALWAYS include her on that list. Every single one of her books have been wonderful reads that are not only entertaining but though provoking and highly impacting. I really like Tally and Chase. Not only do they get along well as cousins but they both try to help each other understand their past. By helping the other person rediscover their life, they are able to take a deeper look into their own soul. The Holocaust/Jewish story was extremely interesting and one I myself would like to delve in further. Amanda's story, while not as intriguing as Tally's and Chase's, is worth reading as well. Her attempts at keeping up the perfect family lifestyle doesn't go as plan, and neither does her relationships with her husband or male colleague. I thought the cover of the book was absolutely perfect. There's that idealistic white fence which represents the perfect household, but the paint is peeling and there's a cobweb on it. It's so simplistic yet speaks a thousand words. I thought it was interesting that I felt that I kept wanting Tally's father to make an appearance in the story but he never does. It bothered me at first until I read the author interview which brings up this point and explains her choice to not put him in the book. I really like books that include those question/answer interviews in the back of the book so that the reader can automatically feel a sense of completion.This book is another wonderful work of art from Susan Meissner and destined to be another highly recommended title. Honestly if you have not picked up any of her books before, you MUST. Seriously you will NOT be disappointed.
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