The Gate House by Nelson DeMille
|
List Price: Our Price: $0.97 You Save: $27.02 (97%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Gate House
Book Review: The Gold Coast Revisited, Ten Years Later
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a fan of Nelson DeMille's work and THE GOLD COAST is my favorite by him. Naturally, I was thrilled to get a copy of the sequel, THE GATE HOUSE, and anxious to see how John and Susan Sutter had progressed with their lives. Though this is a tiny bit of a letdown from the original, I'm still giving it five stars for clever writing, exceptionally witty dialogue (What do you do when you miss your mother-in-law? Reload and fire again.), and excellent character development
We finally get a sense of the public humiliation John felt when the whole world, especially his country club friends, knew of his wife's betrayal of him with the Mafia don next door. I'm still enraged by the fact that Susan Stanhope Sutter got off with a slap on the wrist and is spending time lunching with gal pals rather than scrubbing toilets in prison. She hasn't missed a beat in her lavish lifestyle and is still the spoiled, little rich girl. Her only saving grace is that John loves her and for that reason, I could smile at their attempted reconciliation and grimace at the after-effects of it.
The rich really are different and we get a good, hard look at their lifestyle (doesn't everyone get a yacht for Father's Day?). It's THE GREAT GATSBY meets THE GODFATHER all over again and I was excited by the ride, albeit a bit slow and repetitive in places. The last 100 pages of the 674 were bone-chilling as Susan's sin comes home to haunt her. So, if you were a fan of THE GOLD COAST and wondered what would happen when our legal justice system faltered, meet the new generation of the Mafia family next door, one who hasn't forgotten who killed Daddy.
Book Review: I admit it - I really enjoyed this!
Summary: 5 Stars
Before reading this review please note. If you haven't read DeMille's The Gold Coast, and plan to, please don't read this, as it will spoil that story for you.
Though this book is very long (670+ pages) I wouldn't have minded it if it went even longer. I am a huge fan of Nelson DeMille and would enjoy his description of how grass grows. The Gate House is the sequel to The Gold Coast, and much of Gate House rehashes the thrust of that book. I enjoyed this, as it's been awhile since I read the first one. Clearly, though this is a sequel, it's meant to be read by anyone, even those who haven't read The Gold Coast.
Ten years have passed since John Sutter's wife, Susan, killed her lover, a Mafia Don, and got little more than a slap on the wrist for her trouble. After divorcing Susan, John spent ten years sailing the sea and making a living in London. Now he's come back to the Gold Coast for an impending funeral, and all the ghosts of John's past, and some new ones, are waiting for him. He hasn't lost his clever sense of humor and sarcastic wit, which keeps this story moving along, and kept this reader eagerly turning pages. There isn't a lot of action in most of the book, but tension grows wonderfully as the characters bounce off each other; the ending is the way only DeMille can do an ending.
I have read some unfavorable reviews, and, while I can see the reviewers' points of view, I couldn't help but enjoy this book all the way through - DeMille's style is something I really enjoy and I love his biting wit. I am still a DeMille fan.
Book Review: Another Great Effort
Summary: 5 Stars
OK, I know we were all spoiled by John Sutter's coy/caustic personality as created by Nelson DeMille in the original Gold Coast, but I think the other reviewers have been far too hard on the newly released sequel, The Gate House. Although I will agree that John Sutter's endless comments on anything and everything do get a bit repetitious and repugnant in this effort, but given that he is not a detective ala other DeMille books, the means for developing a story around a divorced middle aged grumpy old man who is broke and homeless needs something for which he can develop a story, yes? Afterall, just how exciting can DeMille make a well-to-do family that has already had more excitement and adventure than most shall ever know during the first book of Gold Coast! Given what was available to DeMille, I think he made the absolute most of what was obviously a difficult effort, why else did DeMille wait for fifteen years to write it?--also needing obvious persuasion and pushing from his family and friends to do so, as DeMille himself acknowledges. Given that, I think this was another winner from DeMille, and I for one already miss sitting down in the evening to read more of what may be happening with John and Lady Stanhope Sutter. For myself, I'm rooting for another sequel--maybe a new adventure as John and Susan travel the world.Book Review: Finally.... Gold Coast Part 2!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am an avid reader and DeMille is my all time favorite author. The Gold Coast is, by far, the best book I ever read besides the Bible. Now, Gate House is Part 2 of Gold Coast and as for the other reviewers who say it dragged and needed editing - these idiots are merely a product of a world that wants, needs and demands everything N-O-W! Slow down and actually read a book once in a while instead of racing through it to see how it ends. The details are exceptional, as are the character developments, not to mention the story line. When did it become a bad thing to actually take a while to read a book? Why is there such a race to finish it? It's a story, it needs to be digested and analyzed and the more details we have, the more we can work out our theories. It is not the destination, it's the journey that stays with us and that is what I love about all DeMille books. For the love of God people - stop bashing an author for actually writing a book that a) keeps you turning the pages; b) develops characters; c) gets into your head; d) makes you think and e) takes more than an hour to read. Perhaps all you bashers need to read something like The Twilight Series which were written for the ADD-addled teenage crowd?Book Review: A great follow-up to The gold Coast
Summary: 5 Stars
The Gold Coast was one of my all time favorite books. Nothing DeMille ever wrote has measured up to it. I read the book twice and listened to the audiobook. When I discovered that The Gate House was a new sequel, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
I thought it was great. It was wonderful to remember all that happened in the Gold Coast and to meet all the characters again in a continued story. The Gold Coast was one of those books that you never wanted it to end. Well now it hasn't. If only it could still continue past The Gate House.
I had read a long time ago that a movie was going to be made of The Gold Coast, but it never happened. Now would be the perfect time to make a movie combining both books. I could read about the Stanhopes, the Sutters and the Bellarosas forever, and I would love to see all those people and their gold coast properties portrayed in a movie.
Donna