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The Award  By  cover art

The Award

By: Danielle Steel
Narrated by: Adam Verner
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Publisher's summary

Capturing historical events, terrifying moments of danger, tragedy, the price of war, and the invincible spirit of a woman of honor, The Award is a monumental tale from one of our most gifted storytellers - Danielle Steel's finest, most emotionally resonant novel yet.

Gaëlle de Barbet is sixteen years old in 1940 when the German army occupies France and frightening changes begin. She is shocked and powerless when French gendarmes take away her closest friend, Rebekah Feldmann, and her family, and send them to a detention camp for deportation to an unknown, ominous fate.

The local German military commandant makes Gaëlle's family estate outside Lyon into his headquarters. Her father and brother are killed by the Germans; her mother fades away into madness and ill health. Trusted friends and employees become traitors. And by accident, Gaëlle begins a perilous journey with the French Resistance, hoping to save lives to make up for the beloved friend she could do nothing to help.

Taking terrifying risks, Gaëlle becomes a valuable member of the Resistance, fearlessly delivering Jewish children to safety underneath the eyes of the Gestapo and their French collaborators. Then she is suddenly approached by the German commandant with an astonishing and dangerous plan to save part of France's artistic heritage as the Germans withdraw. And once again, her life is on the line. Conducted in secret, flawlessly carried out, her missions for the Resistance change her life and mark her for years. She is falsely accused of collaboration at the end of the war, and flees Lyon in disgrace, orphaned and alone. She goes to Paris to put the war behind her and begin a new life, with the ghosts of the past always close at hand.

Gaëlle's life will take her from Paris to New York, from a career as a Dior model to marriage and motherhood, unbearable loss, and mature, lasting love. She returns to Paris to run a small museum, honoring victims of the Holocaust. She has never sought recognition for her courage during the war years she can never forget. Her label as a collaborator remains, until her granddaughter, a respected political journalist, is determined that past wrongs finally be made right, and her grandmother's brave acts be recognized. Now a grateful nation will finally acknowledge this remarkable woman. At last, she is absolved and honored as the war hero she was.

©2016 Danielle Steel (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What listeners say about The Award

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Yawn. Skip it

What disappointed you about The Award?

This is the first and last book by the author I'll suffer through. Had to read it for book club. Has no prose to enjoy or literary value. A sappy disappointment.

Has The Award turned you off from other books in this genre?

Absolutely

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52 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Very slow book

Book was slow. Story could have been good but just fall short. The narrator put me to sleep! Not her best work.

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35 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

Not my favorite Steel book...

It just seemed like a lot of things were repeated over and over...like how much they loved each other...we get it, we got it after the first several times. The first part of the book was the best. IDK, the story line just didn't have the usual somewhat believable air to it. It was not so bad that I could not finish it, but it was just not up to snuff in my minds eye. The narrator was not my favorite either, that may have a lot to do with my disappointment in the book. over pronunciation in French, and there was just something about his voice... oh, well, maybe I will be back in tune with the next book

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33 people found this helpful

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It would have been a good story

It would have been a good story to listen to, as I’m a big fan of D.S. but sorry, the narration is awful 🤷🏻‍♀️.

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18 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

what happened to her?

I sighed in exasperation as the same thing was said over and over in different ways. I used to love Danielle Steel but last 20 books have been filled with fillers to make a simple story go on and on. Still this is better than the last few books.

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9 people found this helpful

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Wonderful

Probably one of Danielle Steel's best yet. I love, love, loved every minute of it.

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9 people found this helpful

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Terrific

I enjoyed this book very much. One of her best!
Love when real history is mixed in.

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8 people found this helpful

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Very good book! The narrator was awesome.

This was the first audio book I ever heard and I loved it! Great narration

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Should we never forget

A very special work of art. The story line becomes more important as the years go by from WW11. We should never forget the brave people who helped others during such dreadful times.

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7 people found this helpful

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OMG

it made me cry, sod that stuff like this is true!!!!!!greatfull for people like her

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5 people found this helpful