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Book Jacket

 Broken Colors
by Michele Zackheim

Publisher: Europa Editions
Publication date: 10/01/2007.
Novels, 318 pp.

Number of reader reviews: 16
Readers' Consensus: 4.0
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First Impressions: Page 2 of 3
Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Dorian (Bainbridge NY)

Colorful
Upon beginning this book I feared that it was going to be too familiar, another story of a character wounded by war and unable to find "life". I even put it down for awhile. But, as I read more I found I was drawn to the characters, caring about them and hoping that they would have a chance at a "happy" ending.

I enjoyed the artistic angle of this book, along with the quotes that begin each chapter. They do not overwhelm the flow of the narrative. There is one spot that I felt the story line abruptly changed, but that may have been because I was hoping for a different outcome!

Overall, this is a well-written book that I would recommend.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Penny (Concord OH)

Broken Colors
Broken Colors is the story of one woman’s life. It is the story of losing the people and things that are important to you and then going forward with life. When I read the book I felt that Sophie never ever fully recovered from a nervous breakdown after the deaths of her family. Sophie’s story takes her many places, as she seeks to find herself. The book is full of emotions and one that is difficult to put down once you start reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to friends, family, and my book club.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Jane from New Jersey (West Windsor NJ)

Broken Colors
Michele Zacheim captures the readers attention with the story of young girl whose life has seen tragedy but is living a life that seems almost idyllic. At one point Sophie asks the question..."why have I been so battered by misfortune?" It was at this point that the same thoughts were going through my mind. Whatever sadness that Sophie endures she always has her art to focus her attention on. Throughout her life, her art gave her as much happiness and love as it did sadness and loss. Learning about the life of an artist and how much art affects their life, and how much life affects their art was truly amazing. It is this combination that made this book truly enjoyable and a worthwhile read.

Rated 3 of 5 of 5 by Nancy (Denver NC)

A Book for Artists
I had a hard time reading this book. It's very well written, but I feel it would be enjoyed only by an artist or someone with an art background.The story is lost in all the colors, techniques and language of art. The characters themselves were frustrating. So selfish and self-consumed. And the locations - from England to Paris to Italy - so typical of artists. The only real character in the book was the protagonist's friend, Anne, who showed up too infrequently. I did not care for the book - in fact, I was relieved when I finished it.

Rated 3 of 5 of 5 by Joan (Owego NY)

Broken Colors
"Broken Colors"left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it was visually exciting. The author's background as an artist was evident. It was a good story with important insights about the lasting effect of war on individuals but probably deserved a longer more fleshed out book. I was disappointed in the way certain parts were hurried and it almost seemed as if the author was anxious to get on to the next episode. It read more like an outline than a novel. That said I would recommend the book.

Rated 3 of 5 of 5 by Jennifer (Oxford MS)

A Sad Story
This story starts out sadly. The heroine Sophie never knows her parents because they die at the beginning of World War I when she's a baby. But she's raised by her father's parents in a small English village. They encourage her to be a painter like her father and grandfather. During World War II, a German explosion kills her grandparents and almost kills Sophie. I was depressed by all the death and destruction, but I was glad that Sophie's life with her grandparents is mostly peaceful. I can relate to finding a job that you're passionate about and being encouraged to do it. Sophie is ..... [edited for potential plot spoiler ..... ]. It just took too long to get there.

Rated 3 of 5 of 5 by Ellen (West Hollywood CA)

Survival
Michele Zackheim did an admirable job of describing the overall effect that war has on an individual throughout his or her lifetime. Although I was instantly engaged the first few paragraphs, about a third of the way into the book I became frustrated with the main character.

She suffered great losses during the war so it is understandable that it would take significant time for her to get her life in order. However, with each passing chapter I became more and more exasperated with this woman. Just when I thought she would finally get her act together - she missed another opportunity to move on with her life.

I started the book very sympathetic towards the main character - but by the end of the book I just wanted to throttle her. I work with many Holocaust survivors who have suffered greater atrocities but have gone on to have a very full life.

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