Too Much Too Soon

by Jacqueline Briskin

WEALTH...POWER...PASSION...AND THREE SISTERS WHO WANTED IT ALL
Honora: The eldest...the gentlest... Her all-consuming love for one man would make her an outcast - and ignite a bitter family feud.

Crystal: Sexy...ruthless... She would stop at nothing in her quest for wealth and position. Including seducing her sister's husband in an act of revenge.

Joscelyn: The youngest...the smartest... She sacrificed her brilliant career to further her husband's - only to have her marriage shattered in a brutal act of violence.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

608 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Jacqueline Briskin (1927-2014) was the New York Times-bestselling author of fourteen historical novels that reflect the tumultuous changes in American society that she witnessed over her lifetime. Complete with dynamic storylines, vibrant characters, and passionate romantic relationships, her novels have sold more than twenty million copies worldwide and have been translated into twenty-six languages.

Briskin was born in London, England, the granddaughter of the chief rabbi of Dublin, Ireland. Her family moved to Beverly Hills, California, to escape Adolf Hitler and religious orthodoxy. A few years later, she married her best friend and the love of her life, Bert, whose family was deeply embedded in Hollywood and the movie business. When Briskin's three children were little more than toddlers, she attended a class at UCLA entitled "The Craft of Fiction." To her surprise, it was a class about writing fiction rather than reading fiction. And so her career began.

Over the next forty years, many of Briskin's books topped the New York Times bestseller list. Her adoptive home of Los Angeles and her husband's old stomping ground of Hollywood often play a prominent role in her meticulously researched books.

Reviews

[Ioanna Xristodoyloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

ενα καλογραμμενο κοινωνικο βιβλιο που τρεχει γρηγορα και δεν πλατιαζει πουθενα!θα μπορουσε να γινει μια καταπληκτικη μινι σειρα..εχασε ενα αστερακι γιατι σε καποιο σημειο εντοπισα μια υπερβολη που μου χαλασε λιγο τη ***γευση*** του βιβλιου...νομιζω οτι δεν χρειαζοταν και το εκανε απο και και περα λιγο ψευτικο

[HÜLYA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eski hizimda olamadığım için kitabı hemen bitiremedigime bakmayın.
Müthiş bir kurgu her şey var içinde yazar ın kalemi müthiş.
Okumadım diğer kitaplarını da bulabilirsem okuyacağım.

[Margherita Dolcevita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come gli altri che ho letto di questa scrittrice, anche questo è trascinante e si legge tutto d'un fiato. Non si perde via in inutili descrizioni o in introspezioni fanta psicologiche, la Briskin punta sempre più sui fatti e in queste 450 pagine ne succedono di ogni. Al solito però le disgrazie sono troppe, insomma un po' più di allegrezza non guasterebbe.

[Cws]

F Bri

[Aya Lawliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho sempre amato le cronache familiari ben strutturate, con personaggi particolari e complessi: questa mi ha sorpresa. A primo impatto le orfane Honora, Crystal e Joscelyn alle prese con la nuova vita mi hanno ricordato le vicende forsteriane di Casa Howard (mio grandissimo punto debole); ma con il passare degli anni si sono differenziate in tre storie assolutamente nuove, di donne che reagivano di volta in volta a povertà e ambizione, a violenza domestica e stupri, a rapporti con figli segnati da mille ferite - psicologiche e non... E il bello è che quasi mai reagivano bene, anzi a tratti le ho odiate tutte e tre - e proprio questo le ha rese più vere.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was on my TBR pile for the longest. It was set in earlier times, but it was soooo good. I absolutely loved it. The story kept you reading, and wanted to know what was going to happen. Great book!

[Smo · Rating 1 out of 5]

A lot of drama, wasted years and sisters who like the same man and then fathers one kid with his sister in-law. Probably a trigger warning if you are after something without drama.

[Jess Swann · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'avais beaucoup apprécié le précédent roman de l'auteure "Les vies brisées" que j'avais chroniqué en Juillet et cette fois encore, je n'ai pas été déçue. Dans cette nouvelle saga, nous suivons le destin de trois sœurs anglaises fraichement débarquées aux USA suite à la ruine de leur père. Les trois soeurs ont des personnalités très différentes, ce qui permet de s'attacher à elles. Entre elles, un homme, le beau Curt qui va jouer un rôle déterminant dans leurs existences. J'avoue avoir été particulièrement sensible au destin d'Elisabeth, la soeur la plus attachante à mes yeux. Son histoire d'amour avec Curt m'a énormément plu ainsi que les rebondissements qui l'ont émaillée.

J'ai eu un peu plus de mal avec le personnage de Jocelyne, sans doute en raison de la décision qu'elle a prise pour Lise (même si elle est compréhensible au vu des circonstances). Quand à Christine, j'ai adoré la détester et j'ai apprécié l'étrangeté de sa relation avec Alexandre (au final, c'était assez malsain mais j'aime ça). En revanche, je trouve dommage qu'on ait pas plus de passages sur sa relation avec Bill. Le tout est intéressant, le temps passe vite, ce qui nous empêche de nous ennuyer et j'ai apprécié les lieux que l'auteure nous fait visiter.

La relation entre les soeurs est également très bien décrite et approfondie et j'ai aimé la fin en demi teinte


Ce que j'aime : le personnage d'Elisabeth, sa relation avec Curt. La place occupée par Curt dans la vie des filles, la relation de Christine et d'Alexandre


Ce que j'aime moins : l'intermède Christine/ Curt qui manque un peu d'explications selon moi, la réaction de Jocelyne face à Lise, le manque d'approfondissement de la relation Christine/Bill


En bref : Un beau roman choral qui illustre bien la complexité des relations sororales


Ma note


8/10

[Manuela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Davvero un'ottimo romanzo di quest'autrice che viaggia sempre su livelli molto alti.
E'una storia piena di sentimento, avvincente e mai banale, che si snoda nel corso di 30 anni, e che narra gli amori, le invidie, i dolori, le gioie e i destini di tre sorelle, diversissime tra loro, ma accomunate da un legame indissolubile e profondo, che nonostante le avversità, non si spezza. Le loro vicende sono tratteggiate in maniera completa e coinvolgente, e la Briskin riesce nel difficile compito di caratterizzare in maniera riuscitissima tutti i personaggi principali, dando vita ad un ritratto reale ed accurato. L'unica pecca è forse il finale un po' troppo hollywoodiano, in cui si cerca troppo il colpo ad effetto. Comunque, da consigliare.

[Ruth Balliew · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago probably when it was first published. Recently read it again and didn't enjoy it.
I guess the title is justified, too much too soon. Everything came so easy and so quickly within the first couple of chapters that the sisters could not handle the fame and fortune? Reading it again made the changes in three very close sisters, with no mother and an alcoholic father, unbelievable. I can see where two sisters could fall apart but there didn't seem to be any real loyalty except with Honora. Very disappointing to read again after several years.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical bestseller; people making decisions that are sometimes good but sometimes bad.

[Marianne Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing story of three sisters and their good times and hardships. If you are a romantic, like I am, you will get pulled into the action anf find yoursef in the character's shoes.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book about 3 sisters, relationships, consequences, love and hate. I could not put it down.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A favorite from my 20s. I enjoyed the re-read.