You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2.95 AVERAGE
2.95 AVERAGE
No matter what he writes, Benjamin Black/John Banville is an excellent writer and a great story teller. His characters are sharply defined and believable so the action that ensues is totally realistic, even if the story is completely fanciful. A thoroughly entertaining read.
informative
slow-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
I just love how Banville/Black draws images of people places and events. I’m not usually a fan of WW2 romance, but this unusual tale happily carries the author’s dour flavor. Timed well to coincide with The Crown series on Netflix. Very satisfying.
I picked this up because I thought it was a tale about the British princesses' stay in Ireland during World War II. Instead, this was a story about the continuing Irish conflict. I was irritated with the author's great love for Strafford, the casual sexism (it didn't seem like a commentary on the times), the ill-developed characters, and even the poor representation of Irish struggles for independence.
I was fascinated by the blurb but unfortunately the story didn't met my expectations. It's well written but quite slow and I couldn't connect to the characters.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
"The secret guests" was such a let down for me. It's described as an "enthralling historical mystery" and the only thruth in that is that is set in an historical moment. Period. No mystery. No enthralling at all. With such an interesting premise I was expecting so much more. The "secrets guests" of the title are merely secondary characters, the story being centered around the people trying to protect them. The first couple of chapters got me intrigued but then nothing happened till the last 15%, and when it did it was a plot so out of the blue and so rushed in its resolution that I couldn't help but keep my eyes rolling back.
2/5 because in spite of being a bit boring it was beautifully written and it gave some interesting historical context I wasn't aware of.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
2/5 because in spite of being a bit boring it was beautifully written and it gave some interesting historical context I wasn't aware of.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book sounded like it would be interesting, but the novel turned out to be very unimpressive. First off, besides the interesting setting, there's not much to this story. It's kind of a mystery, kind of a drama, and mostly just dull. It's got some interesting descriptions, but there are too many bland characters to keep track of and the story never really goes anyway. It's like reading about a person going through their ordinary day for 300 pages. I was honestly yawning for most of this book.
3.5 * rounded up to 4
When the bombing in London began during WWII, many Londoners looked for a safe haven for their children. The King and Queen of England were no different. Although they were determined to remain in London for the morale of the country, they did choose to remove their daughters from the threat of the London Blitz.
In this story, it was decided neutral Ireland was the safest place to send them. They were spirited out of London in the night to a distant relative’s estate in the Irish countryside. It was a top-secret endeavor and included a detective and a secret agent as the chaperones. What began as a dull and uneventful stay, soon became one of chaos and peril.
I enjoyed the unique characters portrayed in the story and the descriptive nature of Ireland and their conflicting views of the English during that time period. At times, the story lagged a bit, but overall I found it very entertaining. Black writes about some dark times, but does so in a way that doesn’t overwhelm readers with gloom.
Readers looking for a new perspective during World War II that illustrates the relationship between England and Ireland during those years will enjoy this new historical fiction by Benjamin Black.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
When the bombing in London began during WWII, many Londoners looked for a safe haven for their children. The King and Queen of England were no different. Although they were determined to remain in London for the morale of the country, they did choose to remove their daughters from the threat of the London Blitz.
In this story, it was decided neutral Ireland was the safest place to send them. They were spirited out of London in the night to a distant relative’s estate in the Irish countryside. It was a top-secret endeavor and included a detective and a secret agent as the chaperones. What began as a dull and uneventful stay, soon became one of chaos and peril.
I enjoyed the unique characters portrayed in the story and the descriptive nature of Ireland and their conflicting views of the English during that time period. At times, the story lagged a bit, but overall I found it very entertaining. Black writes about some dark times, but does so in a way that doesn’t overwhelm readers with gloom.
Readers looking for a new perspective during World War II that illustrates the relationship between England and Ireland during those years will enjoy this new historical fiction by Benjamin Black.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
This book took longer to read than any Benjamin Black book I have read mainly due to its lack of plot. It takes place during the London Blitz when the 2 princesses are taken to stay at Clonmillis Castle in Ireland guarded by Strafford, a police detective and one lady police woman. Strafford spends most of the book battling a case of flu while the lady has a 1 night stand with another police detective sent to make sure everything else is in order. An IRA plot to kidnap the girls is in motion towards the end of the story when there is some shooting and that's about it. Nice writing though throughout.