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cate_with_a_c's review against another edition
The writing style made it really difficult to keep track of what was happening. Not enough background was given to the protagonist.
simplyb's review against another edition
3.0
As somebody who has been to Berlin many times, both pre- but mostly post-"Wende", the scenery of the dilapidated topography of post-war Berlin was what was most striking. As well as the chaos, the uncertainty, the paranoia, and the madness of several governmental and philosophical ideas warring with each other. This is all well-captured in this book, weaved into the architecture of the fallen and the rebuilding. The story's main characters mainly captured this, but it was hard for me to see the main character Meier as ever being in as full of danger as was made out, which took away from the suspense it was trying to build. The double-crossings and betrayals were well played out with a pretty neat wrap-up in the last 50 pages, although even that had an edge of hurry and convenience to it in an otherwise beautifully painted landscape. So while I loved reading about Berlin and the tumult after the war, and the language/writing itself was very good, I rated it lower than I otherwise would have simply because I just never quite got taken in with the suspense and intrigue. A fun and quick read, but ultimately not quite as edge-of-the seat for the genre.
havebookswilltravel's review against another edition
3.0
This book started out so promising to me and by the end it just really fizzled. So much so that I put it down, with about forty pages until the end, for over three months. Four stars for the first half and two for the second averages out to three stars.
nazad1th's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed it. I think that there were a few cases of suspension of disbelief, but the main issues I was having with how Irene was suspiciously unsuspicious to the Russians, or how Alex was getting away with so much, were wrapped up neatly. I think some of the characters were a bit one dimensional, and things turned out a bit too neat, but it was a solid tale of Post WW2 Berlin, before the Stasi came, when everything was trying to get back to normal, from a German perspective.
bozzi1's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.75
Spoiler Free Review
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After serving ten years in a British prison, American physicist and former spy for the KGB, Martin Keller is being released to East Germany. Martin is eager to reconnect with his ex-wife and son and leave the rest of his past behind, but it’s clear from the moment he crosses the border that there’s a larger game afoot. Will Martin be a pawn, moving from one type of prison to another, or will his former skills help him to see a few moves ahead and ultimately win the game?
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While the action started quickly, the author has a unique writing style and it took me a bit to get used to the subtle changes in dialogue and character. As the story progressed, I quickly became more invested and eager to see how everything would play out. While I would have liked a little more backstory so I could feel more connected to Martin, I was rooting for him and really enjoyed watching his thought process throughout the plot twists and turns. I thought the ending was a tad rushed, but well done overall.
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I loved the details about Berlin and the various border crossings. It was clear that a lot of research had been done and it makes me want to learn even more about post WWII Germany. I would recommend this one to fans of historical fiction and/or espionage/spy thrillers. Many thanks to @scribnerbooks for sending me an Advanced Reader’s Edition. The Berlin Exchange was released on 2/22/22 and is available now!
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After serving ten years in a British prison, American physicist and former spy for the KGB, Martin Keller is being released to East Germany. Martin is eager to reconnect with his ex-wife and son and leave the rest of his past behind, but it’s clear from the moment he crosses the border that there’s a larger game afoot. Will Martin be a pawn, moving from one type of prison to another, or will his former skills help him to see a few moves ahead and ultimately win the game?
•
While the action started quickly, the author has a unique writing style and it took me a bit to get used to the subtle changes in dialogue and character. As the story progressed, I quickly became more invested and eager to see how everything would play out. While I would have liked a little more backstory so I could feel more connected to Martin, I was rooting for him and really enjoyed watching his thought process throughout the plot twists and turns. I thought the ending was a tad rushed, but well done overall.
•
I loved the details about Berlin and the various border crossings. It was clear that a lot of research had been done and it makes me want to learn even more about post WWII Germany. I would recommend this one to fans of historical fiction and/or espionage/spy thrillers. Many thanks to @scribnerbooks for sending me an Advanced Reader’s Edition. The Berlin Exchange was released on 2/22/22 and is available now!
booksandcatsgalore's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0