Thursday, January 11, 2007

H.R.H by Danielle Steel

I just finished up H.R.H. by Danielle Steel last night but was too tired to write up my review. I liked this one as much as the last one I read by her. Here's my review:

Christianna is born to royalty but that is not what she wants to do. She is able to go to college in Berkley, California but when she gets back home after four years she isn’t happy. There is a hostage situation in Russia and convinces her dad to let her go help out the Red Cross. It changes her life and she has a desire to want to do more. Her father Josef puts his food down but Christianna is able to get him to agree to one last trip. So she heads off to East Africa to help out the Red Cross again with an Aids facility they have set up in Senafe. Helping people again, helps her realize this is the life she wants to do. But for her, that’s not possible. The most distracting thing to her ends up being Parker Williams. But Christianna knows once she is done in East Africa it is back to the way of life her father wants for her. Can she convince Parker of that and if not what is she going to do?

This is the second Danielle Steel novel that I have ever read. Okay, so I am a little bit behind but I am enjoying all that I am reading. The writing is as good as I remember it if not better. There is so much emotion there that I had to keep turning the pages. The story line was believable to me because more royalty are becoming less self-centered and wanting to do more things to help out. It all started with Princess Diana that I remember, if anyone royal had done anything before then I didn’t know about it. The way that the people talked in the novel as well was everyday type talk. That is the one thing that I have noticed Danielle Steel is really good at with keeping things true to life.

My favorite character was Christianna. I could relate to her the most because before I got married almost 4 years ago, I had to take one last trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland. I knew it was going to be awhile before I got over there and that has been the case. I haven’t made it back there yet. Christianna, on the other hand, wanted to be able to do something with her life and explored what it was like to not have the daily pressures of royal life. She was so good at what she was doing; I hated to see her go back home. I admired all the doctors, nurses, and midwives that stopped in Senafe. What they do not only in the story but also in real life makes them heroes. There are not many people out there who are willing to go to these areas. I applaud everyone who goes where help is needed even for a short amount of time. In my opinion, everything adds up in the end.

I love romance that is just who I am but this book had more than romance. It had people doing the best they could to help out others. I enjoyed it all and I appreciate that Danielle Steel wrote it. I am sure there are more stories that involve Doctors Without Borders but this is the first one I have come across. I give it a 4/5 because it was a really good book and I enjoyed the whole story line as well as the ending.

Now onto Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. :)My first classic in awhile.

6 comments:

Heather said...

I never liked the Danielle Steele books I read but you make this one sound good! I hope you like Madame Bovary, it is excellent!

Heather
www.thelibraryladder.blogspot.com

Lover of Books said...

Well so far I have liked the ones that I have read which are this one and last year's book called The House. I hope to read more this year. I think I may have even bought one of hers. Oh, well, I'll have to dig through my boxes. lol

Booklogged said...

Can you believe I've never read Danielle Steele. I think it's the romance thing, but you did say this was so much more than romance.

I'm going to be reading Madame Bovary, too. So we can compare notes.

Lover of Books said...

Booklogged-Madame Bovary is pretty good. A little slow going at times but geez Mr. Flaubert didn't seem to have much concern for her. LOL

As for Danielle Steel, I only started reading her books last year but have had a few recommended to me that I want to try to read this year.:)

Sarah said...

I'm glad you're reading Madame Bovary as it's wonderful. Be warned though... it is tragic!

Lover of Books said...

I knew it was tragic from the beginning and I am almost done. I should be able to post it sometime tonight.