Precious and Fragile Things

By: Megan Hart

Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang

Gilly Soloman has been reduced to a mothering machine, taking care of everyone and everything except herself. But the machine has broken down. Burnt out by the endless days of crying children and menial tasks, and exhausted from always putting herself last, Gilly doesn't immediately consider the consequences when she's carjacked. With a knife to her throat, her first thought is that she'll finally get some rest. Someone can save her for a change.

But salvation isn't so forthcoming. Stranded in a remote, snowbound cabin with this stranger, hours turn to days, days into weeks. As time forges a fragile bond between them, she learns her captor is not the lunatic she first believed, but a human being whose wasted life has been shaped by secrets and tragedy. Yet even as their connection begins to foster trust, Gilly knows she must never forget he's still a man teetering on the edge. One who just might take her with him.

©2010 Megan Hart (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

An outstanding Drama- I recommend this one

This is an outstanding drama, not a romance. I think this type of book may be a first for the author. You will find that you can't hate the bad guy in the book although he is deeply distrubing. You might even cry for him at the end, I did. This would make an excellent movie.

Not a typical Megan Hart Book....

This is a very non typical MH book. It's a story with NO sex...really. Nicely written and very well performed. Reminds me of an old ABC after school movie from the '70's with Linda Blair... Sweet Hostage?? A few surprises and things to keep you guessing. One weird thing? The main female character is "Jilly". Sometimes it was pronounced "Gilly". Just thought it was worth mentioning, but did not distract from the story.

Good, but not great.

I was captivated in the beginning, but began to lose interest towards the end. The male character becomes very childlike. Calls for his mommy. The female character has issues in her own life that were interesting. But too many squandered pages without action or plot. And character development was not believable. It just didn't have the edge it needed.

Having read "Room", This was lacking.

I didn't like it.

I wanted to see a better conclusion. Although she needed to appreciate the life she'd built for herself.

tragically beautiful

this was a beautiful story. so real and raw. I just finished the last word of the book and I'm sad to let them go

I enjoyed this, very much.

I did get beside myself thinking in the end there’d be a plot twist that she would stay, but I like this ending better.

Wow.

4 1/2 Stars! Honesty, I do not know where to begin with this novel. It was great in its bravery, for sure. It was honest is it's truths. It was scary in it's humanity, yet cuddly in the same manner. Holy cow, I dont know what to say about Precious and Fragile Things. It hit home in a way no other novel has...and it freaks me out!

I'm a Mom, and yes, I need a break! But just what would I do for a said needed break??? Who knows? But presented with a situation like Gilly was?? What would I do, I dunno? And after all is said and done, would the reality remain the same? Who knows? And today, I am thankful I don't know. And I cross my fingers to never find out.

This novel is one, a gripping story of one person trying to be "good" and another trying to hang on to the life she knows and the children she loves while caring for the tortured man who has kidnapped her. Its a hard story to listen to, yet I could not stop listening to it. It compelled me in ways I am afraid to admit.

That all said, wow. Just that wow. Perhaps in a few days I will come back and edit this review after all that happened sinks in.

Soooooooooooo Good

Megan Hart has done it again. Though this book is a departure from her usual fare, she doesn't falter. There are no sexual acts but appropriate sexual tension of a sort. The culmination, after getting to know the two main characters, is worth it all. I was floored and so moved. When I focus on it, I'm still moved days after reading it. I like to be impacted by a book even after its over. And Megan has done it for me more than once, which is no easy feat for me. Yet, in this book, she's done it again. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is b/c I was anxious to find out what was going to happen,so Ms. Hart maybe could've left off 30 minutes or so. But I don't know. It might've lessened its impact. I don't know. But I don't regret one minute of this story. Always greedy for more Megan Hart. I wait with baited breath. Oh yeah, the narrator plays it all perfectly.

Difficult read until the ending smacked me.

I generally like Megan Hart's books. Except for Deeper. Never could finish it. This book though is far darker and more bleak than most of her other books and that is saying something. It was very difficult to read. The plot was highly implausible. What was too unbelievable was ignored. The most sympathetic character was the "bad guy." He was far more hopeful and optimistic than the heroine, Gilly, in spite of his miserable life. And his character was far more developed. I could neither empathize or sympathize with Gilly. Perhaps the most implausible part of the plot was that she was able to live in total seclusion with a person for 3 months and survive. I would have killed her within 3 days. I don't know what I did not like about her, probably because her character didn't seem fleshed out. She just had no depth.

However this book changed from a 2 star to a 4 star with the ending. It wasn't surprising. but the abruptness and the method still shocked me. I was totally unprepared. It's impact was strong enough that I did not mind the time spent reading the first 40+ chapters. I can't say I recommend the book, but I can say that the craftsmanship of the conclusion was impressive.

Choices that lead to an inevitable end

This book reminded me of Horace McCoy's "They Shoot Horses Don't They?" though not as dark. The boy/man Todd, while disturbing, had some very endearing qualities. He wasn't simple-minded, although people had obviously treated him as though he were all his life. One mistake lead to another, until he had no more choices. Definitely a kleenex moment at the end.