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egomaxima's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A very gripping read, I finished it in just a couple sittings. I really liked the insight into history as well. My main beef was with the characters (mostly one character), but I can’t assume to know better than the author about being an individual trapped in that situation.
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
5.0
Hell of a good story. Highly recommend.
peterp3's review against another edition
4.0
Good plot reflecting the complexities of post-war Berlin for the Germans adjusting from Nazi rule to Russian rule. It seems rather improbable that our hero could really outwit the American and the German and the Russian secret services, but the writing style is well-matched to the fast-action plot. It’s very dialogue-driven, and the characters frequently interrupt each other, or leave sentences half-said.
arthur_pendrgn's review against another edition
2.5
2.5 stars Plot was great. Had a hard time understanding the context--I don't know much about the key players or events in East Germany in 1963. I found a map of East Germany helpful at times.
michael_levy's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tuomosuominen's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent thriller with an initially unlikely protagonist turning into a semiprofessional Cold War operative, the story covering quite a lot of what I just read in Philip Kerr's Field Grey.
jnieto's review against another edition
3.0
Fine up to the last pages, where an out-of-the-blue finish did not satisfy me.
happyglowlucky's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. The details were vivid, and true-to-life. It really took you to another time and place. It's a wonderful political thriller, about a young writer who leaves Berlin in the 30s in order to escape the Nazis, and winds up in the States, where, instead of finding a peaceful place to live, he winds up dealing with Sentator McCarthy's "House of Un-American Activites" and other problems.
I won't say any more about the plot, because I don't want to ruin anything. But, I will say that I love the book - it's fast-paced, and keeps you turning the pages. Unlike some political thrillers, you can't guess what will happen next, which I like. The writing is excellent, the plot is great, and the characters are so real you feel like they do actually exist. Read it!
I won't say any more about the plot, because I don't want to ruin anything. But, I will say that I love the book - it's fast-paced, and keeps you turning the pages. Unlike some political thrillers, you can't guess what will happen next, which I like. The writing is excellent, the plot is great, and the characters are so real you feel like they do actually exist. Read it!
katecks's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable Cold War spy story. I did guess though how Sabine would react to Martins plan