Reviews

Gorki Park by Martin Cruz Smith

rocketiza's review against another edition

4.0

Better than average detective novel with the interesting hook of being set in Russia in the early 80s.

ericbuscemi's review against another edition

3.0

While I didn't always love the experience of reading this novel, I am glad to have read it, if only for the fictional glimpse of Soviet Russia during the Cold War. I didn't enjoy how drawn out the book became after such an intriguing start. But then, I was only expecting a police procedural set in Russia. This novel was much, much more -- a cat and mouse game, a story of fugitives and bandits, a view of Soviet "justice," a story of torture, a social commentary on America by a Russian narrator, a political thriller, and a love story. So while certain parts of it dragged, I can't really fault it for all its ambition. Also, this book taught me a colloquial Russian phrase that seems to be appropriate in almost any situation, "fuck your mother." So hooray for this book expanding my worldliness, and fuck your mother.

gbdill's review against another edition

3.0

Honestly, the story was great, but the literary style of Martin Cruz Smith is difficult. I just found out a movie was made from this novel. I decided to watch the movie instead (Gasp!).

petealdin's review against another edition

5.0

Have read it 3 times. Best crime thriller I've ever read.

petersimpson's review against another edition

I don’t really know what’s going on anymore, and I can’t spend another 300 pages with that feeling, especially when I’ve got so many other things to read. 
The mystery isn’t really central and I just don’t really get on with the writing style. 

berlinbibliophile's review against another edition

3.0

I really liked the writing style in this novel. And the plot I loved for three quarters of the book, before it became tangled and chaotic. I liked none of the characters in this book, and yet I liked reading about them.
What surprised me was the huge difference in technology to crime and spy thrillers today. Not the big things, like no cellphones, but the smaller issues. Like, what is a teleprinter office? The book was very atmospheric and full of those little details that made it up-to-date when it was written, but really illuminate the culture it was written in from today's standpoint. Fascinating.

beth_books_123's review against another edition

1.0

Third time was not lucky - 1*

I just.couldnt get into it.
I've tried it many times hoping I could get into it but I couldn't. Honestly I was bored to death. I give up.

birgervs's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

saltycorpse's review against another edition

2.0

The only thing that saves this book from tanking completely is that it's mostly readable and somewhat entertaining. The use of racial slurs by the character Kirwill (and as a descriptor for squinting) are so obviously a transparent attempt by Smith to be "edgy" in the most offensive way possible, which is just pathetic and silly.

Gorky Park seems amateur at best, and thankfully at least one of the Arkady Renko novels is better (Wolves Eat Dogs). Still, I wouldn't call Martin Cruz Smith an accomplished writer of mystery, although book sales probably say otherwise.

booksho's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0