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Le Fils Prodigue

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Frères ennemis

Deux frères, Peter et Michael, différents en tout point. Dès l'enfance, ils se haïssent. L'un est bon, l'autre mauvais. L'un fuit sa famille et quitte la région pour travailler dans la finance, l'autre s'établit dans sa ville natale en tant que médecin et devient un citoyen apprécié et respecté de tous.

Vingt ans plus tard, le fils prodigue revient. Contre toute attente, les relations fraternelles semblent s'être apaisées... jusqu'à ce qu'une série de décès, qui paraissaient naturels au départ, touche la ville et ses alentours. Et si l'un des frères était lié à l'affaire ?

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2017

1062 people are currently reading
4244 people want to read

About the author

Danielle Steel

911 books16.8k followers
Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's bestselling authors, with almost a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include All That Glitters, Royal, Daddy's Girls, The Wedding Dress, The Numbers Game, Moral Compass, Spy, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina's life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Expect a Miracle, a book of her favorite quotations for inspiration and comfort; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.

Facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial
Instagram: @officialdaniellesteel

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5 stars
4,544 (42%)
4 stars
3,314 (31%)
3 stars
1,937 (18%)
2 stars
573 (5%)
1 star
251 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 811 reviews
Profile Image for Danita Brown.
194 reviews84 followers
July 8, 2020
Loved, loved loved this book. I've been a fan of Danielle Steel since the beginning of my book reading journey. The Prodigal Son didn't disappoint. She kept me on the edge of my seat from page 1 to page 318. The characters and the plot was on point. And as always the villain in the story got their just do.
Profile Image for Suz.
1,559 reviews860 followers
July 8, 2016
You know when you read a book, and you anxiously turn pages with excitement ? This was missing at every step of the way, and in every imaginable way. So generic was this story and just in general, very, very disappointing. I don’t at all aim to put authors down in my reviewing process, but this was just plain bad I'm afraid to say.. Unrealistic is ok in fiction, as often that’s what it’s all about most of the time, but not when delivered with zero attempt of ‘anything’ - it’s just simply a slap in the face of the reader! We were told everything with no attempt at pizzaz or dressing up at the least! I don’t know what happened here. I can’t even attempt a quick synopsis. I knew what was happening, going to happen and what did happen. This is not reading for pleasure. I’m not sure diehard fans would even be happy with this. Never mind. Onwards and upwards. Have to force my chin up!
70 reviews2 followers
March 14, 2015
Typical Danielle Steel, I always read her newest book, and every time, I say it's the last. Ultra rich couple, loses everything, wife leaves, hubby devastated. Family issues, but everything is always devastatingly difficult, Peter is destitute but seems to have money to fly to London, LA, Spain, etc. Falls in love with his exSister in law, who is tiny and beautiful and so delicately fragile, yet strong. Shall I go on? Every page is filled with such adjectives and she repeats previously stated facts over and over. For awhile, the story line had me, but toward the final chapters, you know how it will end. Everyone is shockingly happy, blah, blah, blah. Can't wait for her next book.
Profile Image for Debbie.
869 reviews13 followers
May 15, 2015
Please, someone at Delacorte Press - edit Ms Steel's next book. Her style of writing is ridiculously repetitive, and I've taken to skipping over the endless restatements of the same darn thing.

Once again, Ms. Steel has created characters who live in a make-believe world. Yes, the story had the potential to be interesting when the protagonist, Peter, loses his Wall Street job as a result of the financial market collapse. Suddenly, he's paying alimony and child support, but he's still spending money. Never seems to worry about the more mundane side of being unemployed - how will he pay for health insurance? How long can he survive without income? Hard to relate to his life; my heart just did not bleed. And per usual, the book has a very tidy ending (as if the readers didn't see that one coming).

Had to laugh that she named 2 characters Maggie and Lisa. I kept thinking she'd introduce someone named Bart, Homer or Marge. Think Ms. Steel is a fan of 'The Simpsons'?
Profile Image for Laura.
854 reviews208 followers
September 29, 2021
Poignant story about twin brothers raised in the same family and town, but with drastically different lives and personalities. Revelations are revealed regarding good, evil and sociopaths that don't really make those distinctions. I picked this up as a freebie from our local thrift shop.
828 reviews16 followers
May 3, 2015
I have not read a Danielle Steel book in a long time, but I remember clearly always loving her writing. I don't know what happened! Either I grew up, or she has lost her touch.
This obvious tale of twin brothers who are diametrically opposed in every way was predictable and so very slow. But worse than that, it was so repetitive, I felt like pulling my hair out. Doesn't she realize that she keeps saying the same things over and over? AND...her favorite word seems to be and. She starts a sentence with it, then makes it a compound sentence by joining two thoughts with the word and, only to start the next sentence with the word and....and, and, and, it becomes so annoying, it's distracting!
I resented this book. I guess that's not fair. However, I actually had faith it would be an enjoyable read because of my prior experiences with this author's work but was completely disappointed by its amateur problems that repeatedly took my attention away from the story. It went on far too long, over 300 pages, only to wrap up the climax in a few pages. It held no surprises. I just cannot recommend this book.
Do yourself a favor and stick to Ms. Steele's earlier work. In my opinion, this one really misses the mark
Profile Image for Dawn.
277 reviews
April 28, 2015
I feel that this book could have been fifty pages. All the other pages in the book are just Danielle Steel repeating what she had previously stated. It just blows my mind that so many people actually praised this book. I feel that maybe if you have memory problems and you need things constantly repeated that you might find the book enjoyable or pleasurable to read. I did not find this pleasurable, only highly annoying. I also found it painful that the first 50 pages of the book was about poor Peter and how he had such a horrible life because he was dyslexic and he had a mean twin brother. I heard his sob story so many times (because that is ALL Danielle Steel does is repeat, repeat and repeat herself) that I couldn't care less about his struggle. I mean, it's not like his mom was shooting up drugs and pimping him out. It's obvious that Danielle Steel has a white upper class perspective on issues that people struggle with.
Profile Image for Suzy.
466 reviews427 followers
July 28, 2015
You're either a DS fan or you're not a DS fan. You know what you're getting yourself into when you choose to read one of her books. I am a fan. I don't read books specifically to critique them - I read them because I enjoy fictional stories. Yes, Danielle Steel's earlier books may not be repetitive or other adjectives some other reviewers wrote when describing this particular book, but her stories (not all, but most) are good. This one is no exception. I thought it was dramatic, interesting and had a nice twist. I really liked it and would recommend to anyone who enjoys fiction.
Profile Image for Suzzie.
954 reviews171 followers
November 20, 2019
4-4.5*

Highly intriguing. A bit predictable but one hell of a story. There was a very dark plot to this book featuring fraternal twins and their families and it unfolds very entertaining. Really enjoyed this Steel book!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
1,025 reviews65 followers
February 3, 2015
I had never read anything by Danielle Steel before and I was a little apprehensive about reading this one as a lot of the time when an author has a large number of books published there is generally a lower quality to the stories. However, I found Prodigal Son to be a very enjoyable read.

Danielle Steel has this really nice style of writing. It just flows on really nicely and I found myself flicking happily through the pages and really enjoying the story that Danielle Steel was weaving.

The story itself is pretty straight forward and the revelations just unravel and then the consequences of those things get explored. I have to say that I really did find the book enjoyable but the subject matter is a little bit on the heavy side but I feel like this is a softer novel.

There were a couple of times where I wanted to yell at Peter because he was being so blind. I think that was also kind of good because it matched with events in the book. It's really hard to talk about some of the things because I don't want to give anything away.

I really enjoyed Prodigal Son, it was just such a nice story to read and not wanting to give anything away, as the story progressed further, it got so intense.
Profile Image for Mike.
404 reviews32 followers
December 7, 2016
Even though I did finish this novel (somehow) I am adding it to my "tried to read/didn't like" bookshelf. It has been quite a while since I left a one star rating.

And it's not so much that this is a terrible novel -- its just not for me. I'm sure there is an audience of readers who are just fine with being watered down, with constant repetitiveness and reminders of nuggets that have no later revelation. Not to mention a level of detail and background on granular items such as recipes and menus and clothing materials.

I am also sure that there are readers who are perfectly fine with a book that climaxes about 70% of the way through (An unnoticed climax that does not offer any surprises or enticement for the reader) and the remaining balance is the longest mundane epilogue known to literature.

It's just not for me.

I am going to have to follow this up with a violent espionage thriller in order to feel whole again
Profile Image for Ballmji.
2 reviews3 followers
May 3, 2019
Gutes Buch, leider habe ich nur einen Bruchteil verstanden, da ich der holländischen Sprache nicht mächtig bin.
Trotzdem erkennt man das dieses Buch eine Herzensangelegenheit der Autorin ist. Die Gefühle der Autorin sind multilingual verständlich. Trotz den sprachlichen Barrieren hat mich dieses Werk zu Tränen gerührt. Die Gefühle, die von diesem Werk ausgehen, lassen mich die Ohr-ab-Aktion von Vincent van Gogh verstehen. Bei so vielen nicht verständlichen holländischen Worte würde ich mich auch meines Gehörorgans entledigen.
Vermutlich handelt diese Perle der Literatur von dem Verlust eines männlichen Nachkommen.
Dieses einzigartige Kronjuwel der holländischen Literatur wurde ich auf einer Bildungsreise in der Türkei aufmerksam. Ich empfinde es als suboptimal, das solche literarische Meisterwerke in den anatolischen Untiefen verborgen liegen.
Diese Werke wird von mir mit fünf von fünf mögliche Gestirnen bewertet.

03.05.2019, nach 8 Bieren

#follow @le_suti
Profile Image for Daniela Bosque.
136 reviews2 followers
March 3, 2016
Good short story that if edited would have been about 50 pages long. I felt insulted by the author every time she repeated over and over facts peviously stated in the story. Is this a book for slow mentally challenged people that needs to be reinforced with repetition to igest the info?

The publisher did not edit this book. Or is it the fame and the need of an author and its publisher to fulfill the year's quota as per contract?
Now I can understand how an author publishes 3 or more books. They just have to: write anything that appeals in the 1st few chapters just like a newspaper article. Grab the reader's attention and then repeat as a filler to produce 400 pages. Give a dog a bad name. Her fans will devour anything she writes. Shame on the publisher and shame on her.
Prodigal Son was one of the 4 books written in 2015 and she plans to write 6 books in 2016 (2 of the books are out). I can only imagine that they are not well written nor edited like this one.
I'm an avid reader and this is the first book I read from this author. Will I ever read her other novels?
Profile Image for Missy.
10 reviews
March 18, 2015
welcome back Danielle steel!!!!!! this book is the reason I kept being a loyal fan. one of the reasons I am a book lover is because of Danielle steel! her early work left me content and wanting more. as the years progressed. I felt as though she had fallen into a mainstream outline in each book, but I kept reading everything she put out, and it has paid off Prodigal Son was a wonderful book. with story telling of one the best authors out there. The story had a good pace and intrigue, kept u wanting to turn the page. The loss and the ability to persevere. is ever present.
Profile Image for Laurie.
298 reviews53 followers
August 23, 2015
Good comforting read, it's been a long time since reading her and glad I picked this one up.
Profile Image for Deacon Tom (Feeling Better).
2,635 reviews243 followers
April 23, 2024
This was really a good one!

"Prodigal Son" by Danielle Steel is a gripping novel that delves into the complexities of family dynamics, forgiveness, and redemption.

Set against the backdrop of wealth and privilege, Steel weaves a compelling narrative that kept this reader engaged from beginning to end.

The characters are well-developed, and the story is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing.

Overall, "Prodigal Son" is a captivating read that explores themes of love, loss, and the power of second chances.
3 reviews10 followers
September 5, 2018
This book demonstrates that you really can't judge a book by its cover. Although Ms. Steel's books tend to be somewhat predictable, it's fascinating to discover the portrayal (and subsequent transformation) of many of the books' characters. Meet Peter McDowell. He's in the process of his marriage falling apart, he's losing his cushy job, and he has virtually no relationship with his family of origin. Through the course of these events, he retreats to the small town where he grew up, and takes up residence at his family's lakeside cottage (the only item left to him in the family will) where he eventually meets up with his twin brother, Michael, who has never left town and with whom he's been estranged for much of his adult life. Despite their twin status, the two brothers are as different as night and day. Peter, who had been living the good life as an investment banker in the big city until personal tragedy struck, and Michael, the small town doctor who still makes house calls. Eventually the brothers put aside their differences and decide to make up for lost time. Life's too short. Right? While many of Ms. Steel's books end on a happy note (which is why I'm so drawn to them), there are often many twists and turns to get there. This novel is certainly no exception. Definitely worth the read.
Profile Image for Dora.
154 reviews
May 22, 2015
DISCLAIMER: I did not finish this book. I am giving 2 stars for the storyline - it sounded really interesting. I couldn't make it past Chapter 3, however, because of Steele's repetitive style. I listened to Steele's 'Granny Dan' on a roadtrip years ago and enjoyed it. I can only assume that if was this repetitive, it wasn't noticeable because I was driving and not listening as thoroughly as I would have read it.
Profile Image for Pamela.
619 reviews31 followers
March 20, 2016
I got this book from my local library. havent read any of hers in awhile and knew this was one of her new ones. it was another great book by her. really recommend it for fans of hers, and anyone that likes a little romance, humor and some mystery. its about this doctor slowly poisoning his wife, dealing with elderly patients , drugging them to get their money and homes. really good read.
Profile Image for Alina Geambasu.
383 reviews93 followers
May 23, 2017
Fiul risipitor nu este o carte romantica, asa cum am crezut initial. Am citit-o foarte greu pentru ca nu am putut empatiza cu personajele, iar povestea nu a reusit sa ma impresioneze deloc. Nu cred ca am sa mai cumpar pe viitor carti de Danielle Steel. Imi este dor de povestile ei de altadata. Ultimele aparitii sunt slabute. Din pacate.
Profile Image for Kylie Harrison (The Reading Cow).
194 reviews50 followers
March 11, 2015
DNF @ 21%.

I felt like I was reading the same things over and over. There were a lot of repetitive words and phrases and I just couldn't get the flow of the story.

Might re visit at a later time...
Profile Image for Vannessa Anderson.
Author 0 books224 followers
April 27, 2017
Prodigal Son was an excellent study on human behavior. Prodigal Son was well written, well paced, and on point. Prodigal Son was one of author Steel’s better stories. Mel Foster’s storytelling kept me mesmerized.
Profile Image for Angela Austin.
142 reviews2 followers
April 18, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! It’s not the typical author’s storyline but it was very well done. Couldn’t wait to get back to reading it!
Profile Image for Adelaide Silva.
1,246 reviews69 followers
May 20, 2023
Nem tudo é o que parece, um romance que mais parece um policial. Um livro que se lê rápido e que distrai
Profile Image for Susan Becraft.
189 reviews17 followers
March 2, 2015
Another bestseller for Danielle Steele

Reading a book written by Danielle Steele is akin to eating a light, pleasing dessert after consuming a heavy meal. Prodigal Son is no exception. The story of twins who grew up hating each other is formulaic, yet entertaining. Peter, a Wall Street whiz, loses his job, his money and his wife in the financial crash that took down Lehman Brothers and other investment banks.

When his wife leaves him and he sells all their possessions, Peter moves to his childhood home in Ware, MA. An old cabin is the only thing he has left. His twin and nemesis is the beloved country doctor, married to an invalid wife. Eventually Peter and Michael make amends and regret the hatred they had shared for so many years.

When Peter meets Michael's son, Bill, in London, the story takes a dramatic turn, so typical in Danielle Steele's books. Which brother is the prodigal son? Read and find out!

I read Danielle Steele's books for pure pleasure, and this one didn't disappoint. After all, there is nothing decadent about a good dessert!
Profile Image for Felicia Bianco.
10 reviews
August 16, 2015
This was my first Danielle Steele book and most likely my last. The author's style of writing was repetitive. How many different times can she say the same thing? Instead of reading the story with details, I felt like I was being told everything with no details..but over and over again. Felt very amateur. And then...and then. ..and then. .sheesh how annoying! Due to the redundant and bland writing style it should have received one star..however I gave it two because I felt the storyline was somewhat promising despite it being underdeveloped.
Profile Image for Jen.
1,348 reviews7 followers
April 18, 2015
This is not the typical formula romance writing Ms. Steel is known for. There was a plot twist, an obvious one but still a twist. The repetitive phrases are still present in her writing. This is an improvement from the last dozen or so books I've read by this author.
Profile Image for Socrate.
6,745 reviews269 followers
March 14, 2022
Peter McDowell stătea în biroul său înconjurat de cutii de carton. Fusese cea mai proastă săptămână din viața lui. Ultima lună fusese una de coșmar, și nu doar pentru el, ci pentru toată lumea de pe Wall Street. Privi cu ochii pierduți monitorul de pe biroul său, și asta făcuse încă din dimineața aceea, și în ultimele cinci zile. Era vineri, 10octombrie 2008, iar acțiunile la bursă căzuseră încă de luni. Fusese cea mai groaznică prăbușire a bursei de la Marea Depresie încoace. În ultimele săptămâni avuseseră loc mai multe evenimente marcante care preconizaseră acest crah. Cu douăzeci și șase de zile înainte, Lehman Brothers, una dintre cele mai vechi și respectate bănci de investiții, intrase în insolvență, lucru care consternase întreaga lume financiară. Și mai uimitor fusese refuzul guvernului de a-i salva de insolvență, chiar dacă înainte cu șase luni făcuse asta pentru Bear Stearns, instituție care fusese cumpărată de JPMorgan Chase. Imediat după decizia istorică a celor de la Lehman Brothers, Banca Americii anunțase că urma să cumpere compania Merrill Lynch, una la fel de importantă și de res- pectată. Băncile de investiții și instituțiile financiare se clătinau ca niște bețivi peste tot pe Wall Street, și mai multe bănci mici fuseseră deja închise. Iar a doua zi după ce Lehman Brothers declaraseră falimentul, cea mai mare societate de asigurări a națiunii pierduse 95 la sută din valoarea sa, și șase zile mai târziu fusese eliminată din Dow Jones. Și în urma confuziei generale propagate în fiecare zi prin declarații alarmante, Whitman Broadbank, banca de investiții la care fusese angajat Peter McDowell, își anunțase încetarea activității și, de asemenea, falimentul. Peter fusese anunțat cu trei zile înainte, timp în care bursa se aflase în cădere liberă. Îi era greu să se gân- dească la altceva, și își sprijini capul de cutiile de pe biroul său. În după-amiaza aceea, la ora șase, aveau să închidă ușile. Minunata carieră a lui Peter, clădită prin numeroase investiții riscante cu rezultate remarcabile în trecut, nu mai exista. Își așeză în cutii lucrurile pe care le avea în biroul său. Vorbise cu soția sa, Alana, și cu băieții lor, Ryan și Ben, cu o noapte în urmă.
Profile Image for Oliviana Georgescu.
315 reviews27 followers
July 24, 2017
"Fiul risipitor" este o carte interesantă și captivantă, pe care nu poţi să o laşi din mână odată ce ai început-o. Avem în carte două povești în care descoperim că o viață întreagă nu e suficientă uneori să cunoști omul de lângă tine. Chiar dacă întâmplările din carte sunt de un dramatism extrem, unele teme abordate sunt de actualitate: incertitudinea legată de ziua de mâine, pierderea locului de munca şi impactul acestui lucru, fragilitatea căsătoriei, relațiile dintre părinți și copii, competiția dintre frați. Vorbim despre aceste teme la modul general, deoarece ceea ce se întâmplă în carte depășește granița normalității, unele aspecte trecând în zona patologică.
În prim planul acțiunii îl avem pe Peter McDowel, un agent de bursă de succes, un bărbat bine, în puterea vârstei, având o carieră impresionantă pe Wall Street, o căsătorie solidă - o soție pe care o iubea și pe care se baza necondiționat și doi copii minunați în vârstă de 9, respectiv 14 ani - Ben și Ryan. Dar toate acestea se vor prăbuși ca un castel de cărți de joc odată cu prăbușirea bursei de valori. În mai puțin de câteva zile, Peter a rămas fără loc de muncă, si-a văzut cariera la pământ și a pierdut toată averea, având în vedere că tot ce deținea era în acțiuni la bursă. Însă cel mai dureros lucru dintre toate a fost reacția soției sale, care şi-a luat toate măsurile pentru a părăsi "corabia care se scufundă" https://www.delicateseliterare.ro/fiu...
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