u/FitProgrammer8825 — reddlx

I can’t believe it took me so many years to pick it up, but I guess better late than never. Before opening Kane and Abel, all I knew was that Kane and Abel were two men separated by continents and economic conditions, with only one thing in common: their birth dates. The description mentions that they meet once and only once during their entire lives, and I initially assumed that meeting would be coincidental. However, as I progressed through the initial chapters, it became clear that they had much more in common than just their birth dates.

The story begins with the celebrated birth of William Lowel Kane in America and the rather unfortunate one of Wladek Koskiewicz in Poland. One thing was clear from the beginning: both men inherently possessed intelligence and an iron will. As the chapters unfold, both face life-altering events that further strengthen their determination. Such a determination was followed by, what I observed in both, narcissism and pride. After a series of gripping events, William graduates from Harvard, while Wladek arrives in America and assumes the name Abel Rosnovski.

The manner of their connection is established when you're halfway through the book. After that is a series of financial feuds and personal altercations. One thing that I had failed to predict was>!their children Richard and Florentyna falling in love with each other.!<

The final chapters were poignant as the feud reached its climax. I almost expected them to die on the same day, but that wasn’t the case. In the end, I found William’s fate sadder than Abel’s. >!The thought of being reunited with his son and his family was so peaceful that he never woke from that serene sleep.!<>!Abel’s ending, on the other hand, is more emotional, as he grapples with the truth that his sworn enemy, William Kane, was in fact his benefactor.!<

The story had some flaws that I found quite unbelievable:

>!1)Wladek's miraculous escape from the Turks serving punishment for thievery. There was no reason for the officer of The British Consulate to pay him attention and help him, even if he spoke a foreign language. !<

>!2)In 20 years, Abel Rosnovski never once discovered the truth: that David Maxton was not his well-wisher.!<

Some of my favorite instances from the book are:

1)>!The rape of Florentyna was horrifying and gave me chills. It was described so vividly that I felt as though I were witnessing it myself, and the sight of Wladek crying over her brought tears to my eyes.!< That entire phase of Wladek’s life—from being trapped in the Baron’s dungeons to being sent to the camp, and finally his escape to Turkey, was enthralling.

2)When Abel visited his village many years later and found his foster mother still living in the cottage, although now demented. He hands her some money and leaves when he realizes her plight. The old woman throws the notes in the grate to start a good fire. This was such an effective scene, and I think it was a reference to the question Abel was asked at the dockyard on Long Island upon entering America: "If you were in a boat, what would you throw out to lighten it: bread or money?".

3)The ending. I had almost predicted it to be disappointing. But it turned out otherwise. >!The name of Florentyna's son 'William Abel Kane' brought a smile to my face.!<

Thank you for reading. I didn’t intend for this to be so long, but the book truly deserved a proper review. I’d love to hear your favorite scenes.

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