You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
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
This novel begins and ends well, but it’s rather plodding and repetitive in the middle. It’s historically interesting though as ‘the first modern spy thriller’, and it’s obviously written partly to challenge complacency at the time (1903) about the growing threat of German ambitions to challenge the British Empire. Childers may have been wrong in envisioning a naval challenge rather than a land war, but written more than 10 years before the war, the book is remarkably prescient.
I expected something completely different, I got something else.
The novel starts with a preface that gives you the idea as a reader that you are going to read a real story, based on true events. The preface like the epilogue at the end are written so convincingly but the events on between read more like a story. The book is written like a diary without dates. The first half of the book goes very slow, after we reach the middle the pace changes and in the last pages, you don’t catch a break. If it wasn’t for the epilogue I would be lost about a lot of things. The epilogue explains everything.
The first half of the book is mainly descriptions of the 2 friends, the sea, the weather, their duck hunting, the places they visit, the people there, the sea, the “yacht”(boat) etc etc. I got bored in this part, it felt tiresome and I was thinking about giving it up since I had a difficult time with the language and the vocabulary that was used as well. In the second half we finally see the more adventurous part and it’s easier to follow.
The author was prophetic about Germany and their intentions. Written in 1903 before WW1. The book reads as his way to make a statement to his country. The purpose of the book after a point, was as clear as it gets.
The title makes perfect sense since our protagonist solves the “riddle” after he passes through the sand and hides.”
Would I recommend this to anyone? No.
The novel starts with a preface that gives you the idea as a reader that you are going to read a real story, based on true events. The preface like the epilogue at the end are written so convincingly but the events on between read more like a story. The book is written like a diary without dates. The first half of the book goes very slow, after we reach the middle the pace changes and in the last pages, you don’t catch a break. If it wasn’t for the epilogue I would be lost about a lot of things. The epilogue explains everything.
The first half of the book is mainly descriptions of the 2 friends, the sea, the weather, their duck hunting, the places they visit, the people there, the sea, the “yacht”(boat) etc etc. I got bored in this part, it felt tiresome and I was thinking about giving it up since I had a difficult time with the language and the vocabulary that was used as well. In the second half we finally see the more adventurous part and it’s easier to follow.
The author was prophetic about Germany and their intentions. Written in 1903 before WW1. The book reads as his way to make a statement to his country. The purpose of the book after a point, was as clear as it gets.
The title makes perfect sense since our protagonist solves the “riddle” after he passes through the sand and hides.”
Would I recommend this to anyone? No.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another spy novel on the "1001 books you must read before you die" list. I enjoy them well enough but don't know if this was better or different than others.
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No