Kane and Abel (Kane and Abel series)

"Kane and Abel". This is the first book I have read by Jeffrey Archer and it took me some time to finish it but I am glad I persisted.The style of writing is amazing. The story starts with the lives of two boys "William Kane" from Boston and the boy who was born in a forest and his mother died in childbirth and was christened "Wladek Koskiewicz" who is from Poland. William's father dies when he is young in the Titanic and is a brilliant boy especially with Maths. Kane is from a privileged background. Wladek is a studious boy who craves knowledge and is from a poor background, rescued from a forest.The childhood of both boys could not have been more different. Kane joins an expensive boarding school and gains a scholarship to Harvard whereas Wladek goes to stay in the Baron's castle with his son (Leon), as he is noted as a smart kid. Then the German invaders come and Wladek's sister Florentyna, Leon and the Baron are killed. Wladek is I think the Baron's illegitimate son as he has one nipple as the Baron did. So, then in the end of that sad part Wladek has to bury all three of them as they die but the Baron annoints him the next Baron before he dies and gives him his silver bracelet with the Baron's name on it which symbolises this. Then there is a terrible time for Wladek as he and others are rounded up and sent to a Russian labour camp (Camp 201).Somehow, Wladek manages to escape but due his experience he always has a limp. When he escapes he finally manages to gain refuge/asylum in a British Consulate and then the Polish Embassy advises him to go either to the UK or to the USA as Poland where Wladek's castle is, is now in turmoil. Then Wladek sails to Ellis Island in NY USA on SS Black Arrow where he meets his future wife, Zaphia, and his lifelong friend, George. When he reaches NY the immigration officer names him Baron Abel Rosnovski as is written on the silver bracelet. Wladek completes his education in USA and graduates there working parttime in a hotel.Basically, that is the leadup to the "Kane and Abel" story.Kane becomes a great banker and Abel a great self-made multimillionaire hotelier. But they never become friends in life. Due to a huge misunderstanding and lack of communication they despise each other, even though Abel saved Kane's life in the War and Kane finally realised it on the day he died but it was "so near yet so far away". What an ending. My sister used to cry on reading books and I used to say how? but at the end I too felt so sad, if only Kane and Abel had been friends too.There is much more in the story but I won't tell all.Amazing Book. Glad I have it in my library. Five Stars.

Masterpiece. Brilliantly written and engaging. Recommended read for all fiction lovers. At no point, the book bored me. It is the best of Jeffery Archer.

I liked the pace of this book by the end, and feel that it should have been maintained from the beginning. Though the book could have been confined to fewer pages than it has, the story is worthy of being told in this manner. The character mix offers some great life lessons that are especially useful for people who have materialistic tendencies. The real life purpose and real wealth of a human lie in their relationships. Envy, hate, jealousy are demons that rise out of one's own insecurities, and misunderstanding of others. It's crucial to spend time communicating with dear ones and those in your life, so that you can understand them better, rather than wasting that time in chasing the illusion of money. Life is lived in balance and not in listening only to one's own opinions. We all have similar souls craving for love, and we all want similar things from life and understanding from people who we allow in our lives. Everyone matters and everyone's perspective also matters. That's how I like this story...thank you, Jeffrey Archer...always been a fan!

Amazing characters ! Amazing journeys ! Amazing character arcs ! This isMy favorite book and I probably read it 10 times atleast !

To be honest this was my 3rd book and after many recommendations i end up with this book, it was totally a new thing which i really liked to explore. The best thing was the way the book has been written is like someone like your grandmother or grandfather telling you story full of thrill, interest, addictive and emotion. I always found the time to read this and complete this as it was so much addictive to me. Really worth reading this book. Thanks Jeffrey Archer for such an amazing book.

Had I not read this book, all my formal education would have been wasted. This book cleansed my soul and polished my conscience with every turn of incidents. It carefully draws a thin line between self-respect and ego. It makes you witness how do two people who literally came from different walks of life react for a given situation. How they become opposite poles and slowly turn into arch-rivals.The history of Poland, America's Great Depression, World War I & II, Stock Markets, banking system, Hotel Chains, innumerous geographical politics, the culture and so many other human emotions had been carefully stitched and tailored as a novel. Simply a sheer genius, I would say. I'd never come across such a class apart writing so far.When closing this book with moist eyes, it made me realize that I am little (maybe tiny) far from who I am while I started reading this.This book is the greatest opportunity to hold the hands of the author and see the world through his characters. Undoubtedly this is a must-read and no wonder that Jeffrey Archer has been one of the most celebrated authors around the world.

This makes me realize how petty are the things we crib for. In the end it's peace that counts. On our death bed we must surely not be thinking of the enemies we made but of the loved ones we had.This comes immediately after I have finished this novel. May be it's a hangover.Let me come to review this book. Some people are born great and some achieve greatness. These are William Kane and Abel Rosenowski. This book takes you through a generation of the characters.Reading Abel's story I have come to see waiters serving me at a hotel with a prospect.William Kane represents elite niche.What intersects them is not the pursuit of money but rather their stern egos.One thing that stuck me quite poignantly was the love story of a different generation.If only Kane and Abel knew that side of life would they have opted differently. An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.

Love the book but every page comes out!!! This is stupid.

About the haterd between two men. Always trying to make trouble for each other. And one a polish run away pow. Who makes it big in hotels the other in family banking. Well written. Good characters. Book started to fall apart binding isn't good.

Llevo medio libro en pocos dias y me ha gustado de sobre manera, facil lectura pero lo mas importante es la trama que te envuelve y que quieres estar leyendo y avanzar en la historia.

A história é excelente, emocionante e te deixa envolvido do início ao fim. Recomendo.

This is the second time I’ve read this book I read it years ago and remembered how it got me hooked from page one .I was not disappointed this time around loved it xx