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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Really enjoyed this - the pace was a bit uneven sometimes - slow, slow, quick quick, slow - but the sense of place was amazing, the characters well drawn. The dialogue was sometimes a bit wooden and the chemistry between Harry and Sofia was a bit out of nowhere, but generally it was pretty gripping.
I found the end a bit unrelentingly grim - and I felt it was actually a bit artificially contrived to be grimmer than necessary - but all in all, a great read.
I found the end a bit unrelentingly grim - and I felt it was actually a bit artificially contrived to be grimmer than necessary - but all in all, a great read.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I did very much enjoy this book and was quite gripped by it once I had read the furst few chapters. Very well written and exciting plot, that plunges you into Spain of the 30s and 40s.
I was a bit disappointed by the ending - with Sofia being shot and then especially Bernie heading out to war again and getting killed at D day. I guess i wanted a happier ending? But even if you accept the deaths, it felt a bit tagged on and not fully explored - like Barbara has been on this intensex extreme journey to save Bernie, but we have also gone on that journey, so then to learn that he willingly through it all away is a bit guiling at the end - especially if its repercussions are not fully explored by the writer.
So really enjoyed until the last two chapters!
I was a bit disappointed by the ending - with Sofia being shot and then especially Bernie heading out to war again and getting killed at D day. I guess i wanted a happier ending? But even if you accept the deaths, it felt a bit tagged on and not fully explored - like Barbara has been on this intensex extreme journey to save Bernie, but we have also gone on that journey, so then to learn that he willingly through it all away is a bit guiling at the end - especially if its repercussions are not fully explored by the writer.
So really enjoyed until the last two chapters!
I don't know much about this era politically, and thankfully, the book was written well enough that I didn't have to. I don't think the characters were all that deep, but I enjoyed getting into their heads, examining their motivations and trying them on for size.
Bottom line: you do things you wouldn't normally do during wartime. Two of the main characters discovered that, and you're privy to that process in their conscience to some extent.
I was fascinated by Sandy Forsyth. He's the character I still think about now that the book is done.
It's not an altogether memorable book, but it's well written, so I can see why it's a bestseller in Britain. I enjoyed the pace and could tell when things were speeding up. On the other hand, I made conscious efforts to pick it up again...until the end, I knew it was a commitment to watching the characters develop, rather than earth-shattering action.
Bottom line: you do things you wouldn't normally do during wartime. Two of the main characters discovered that, and you're privy to that process in their conscience to some extent.
I was fascinated by Sandy Forsyth. He's the character I still think about now that the book is done.
It's not an altogether memorable book, but it's well written, so I can see why it's a bestseller in Britain. I enjoyed the pace and could tell when things were speeding up. On the other hand, I made conscious efforts to pick it up again...until the end, I knew it was a commitment to watching the characters develop, rather than earth-shattering action.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It is pretty tense, I was physically exhausted by the end of it
I listened to this book on a playaway device and it wasn’t my favourite method for listening to books and not one I think I would use again.
As for the book again it wasn’t my favourite, not sure if it was the narrator or the story but I did find it a bit boring at times
As for the book again it wasn’t my favourite, not sure if it was the narrator or the story but I did find it a bit boring at times
Once again I can't fault Sansom's writing at all. Set in Madrid (obviously) during the aftermath of the Civil War and the early years of the Second World War, it follows the stories of three Rookwood school friends as they become entangled in the politics of the time, some voluntarily others by chance. The story is complex with many interwoven aspects from politics itself to the emotions of the characters as they have to deceive those they love in order to achieve their goals. Sansom recreates the complex world of post Civil War Spain brilliantly and vividly using actual events as a basis for this historical spy thriller.
The characters are well written, believable and all go through the turmoil and self doubt that you would expect given their individual situations. Sansom mentions key events as you would expect them to be described by someone who lived through them, with the right amount of detail to keep the story moving without overwhelming the reader. The story is a bit slow at first but it picks up quickly as events and situations change as the story progresses. By the end you simply cannot put it down (trust me I know I had a rather late night because of it) and the ending is as complex and unexpected as the rest of the story, leaving you as exhausted as the characters themselves.
The characters are well written, believable and all go through the turmoil and self doubt that you would expect given their individual situations. Sansom mentions key events as you would expect them to be described by someone who lived through them, with the right amount of detail to keep the story moving without overwhelming the reader. The story is a bit slow at first but it picks up quickly as events and situations change as the story progresses. By the end you simply cannot put it down (trust me I know I had a rather late night because of it) and the ending is as complex and unexpected as the rest of the story, leaving you as exhausted as the characters themselves.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
1940, An uncertain world - The Spanish Civil war has ended and Germany is at war in Europe.
A complex story of three school friends; Harry Brett veteran of Dunkirk and reluctant spy, Sandy Forsyth a shady businessman in Madrid and Bernie Piper, a passionate communist, who has gone missing. Tying these three men together is Barbara Clare, currently Sandy's girlfriend, Harry's friend and also secretly searching for Bernie her former lover.
Part thriller, part romantic love, part historical fiction all curing together in war time Spain. Slowish to begin with but speeds up quickly.
Memories, Impossible choices, Friendship, Deception, Lies, Love, Hate, War
A complex story of three school friends; Harry Brett veteran of Dunkirk and reluctant spy, Sandy Forsyth a shady businessman in Madrid and Bernie Piper, a passionate communist, who has gone missing. Tying these three men together is Barbara Clare, currently Sandy's girlfriend, Harry's friend and also secretly searching for Bernie her former lover.
Part thriller, part romantic love, part historical fiction all curing together in war time Spain. Slowish to begin with but speeds up quickly.
Memories, Impossible choices, Friendship, Deception, Lies, Love, Hate, War