Quindlen's writing is both fluid and powerful. In Black and Blue she evokes a realistic portrayal of the cycle of violence, which occurs both within a relationship based on power and control (tension builds, violence occurs, "honeymoon phase," tension builds again), and over the generations as children grow up internalizing what they see their parents do. More than that, Quindlen creates a multi-dimensional character in Frances Benedetto, with all the real inner conflict of a thoughtful and deeply-feeling human being. Black and Blue helps to remind the reader that the choices involved in domestic violence are not simple or easy. It's a beautifully, painfully realistic novel.