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soudersca06's review against another edition
5.0
If I’m being completely honest, romance wise, I much preferred this one to The Kommandant’s Girl. Although, it is almost EXACTLY the same story with almost EXACTLY the same characters, Pam Jenoff did a great job changing it to fit in with the post-WW1 settings. It was interesting to watch how quickly my opinions of the characters changed. Wonderful book!
kristinproskow's review against another edition
2.0
First of all, the first-person present tense narration threw me off at first. Once I got used to it, I was there for the ride.
The main character, Margot, is so naive. SO naive. But it drew me in because it isn't far from how I was at age twenty.
This book had lots of potential with the content matter bit I felt the story was a little too fluffy and less political than it seems.
There were exciting parts, but it almost felt like the author left out so much that she started in the beginning that it felt rushed near the end, like she was scrambling to wrap it up.
SPOILER***
For example, she just kills off the man Margot was supposed to marry right at the end so she could be free to express her feelings with the man she actually wants, or reveal Krysia as a spy after not bringing up the stealing of information again until the end. It all felt very "Chekov's gun".
Anyway, I still liked it and it kept me in, but did disappoint in ways. That's why I'm rating it 2 stars, because honestly if it was less I wouldn't have finished it.
The main character, Margot, is so naive. SO naive. But it drew me in because it isn't far from how I was at age twenty.
This book had lots of potential with the content matter bit I felt the story was a little too fluffy and less political than it seems.
There were exciting parts, but it almost felt like the author left out so much that she started in the beginning that it felt rushed near the end, like she was scrambling to wrap it up.
SPOILER***
For example, she just kills off the man Margot was supposed to marry right at the end so she could be free to express her feelings with the man she actually wants, or reveal Krysia as a spy after not bringing up the stealing of information again until the end. It all felt very "Chekov's gun".
Anyway, I still liked it and it kept me in, but did disappoint in ways. That's why I'm rating it 2 stars, because honestly if it was less I wouldn't have finished it.
ashleysilver7's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this book. I read "The Kommandan'ts Girl" several years ago, and finished "The Diplomat's Wife" (I think that's the title) about a week ago. Upon discovering the prequel, I decided to finish the trilogy. In this novel the protagonist is Margot, and her father is a German Ambassador at the end of WWI. Needless to say things did not go well for Germany during the peace negotiations/Treaty of Versailles, but Margot's father and a few other Germans were hoping to make a "new world order" and for things to be better. We have the benefit of hindsight in matters like this, and obviously Jenoff is able to do some foreshadowing about Jews and how they need to be more careful in Germany moving forward. She briefly mentions that the German people, with their tail between their legs in defeat, needed a Scapegoat after their embarrassing loss of the war and for some reason the Jewish people were/are an easy target.
Anyway, I digress. There are many things about this novel which I like. The idea of musicians being spies, and the beginnings of intelligence/counter-intelligence is a great stepping stone into the next book. However as others have mentioned, the characters are not too relatable. It's also frustrating that I do not remember what happens to Margot in the next book...I appreciate that the book talks about the end of WWI and the peace negotiations which I have never read about before. I wish Jenoff wrote less about the love triangle and drama regarding Margot, Stephan, and Georg and focused instead on Krysia's character development.
Anyway, I digress. There are many things about this novel which I like. The idea of musicians being spies, and the beginnings of intelligence/counter-intelligence is a great stepping stone into the next book. However as others have mentioned, the characters are not too relatable. It's also frustrating that I do not remember what happens to Margot in the next book...I appreciate that the book talks about the end of WWI and the peace negotiations which I have never read about before. I wish Jenoff wrote less about the love triangle and drama regarding Margot, Stephan, and Georg and focused instead on Krysia's character development.
beastreader's review against another edition
3.0
Margot Rosenthal is accompanying her father to Paris. Margot’s father is attending a peace conference. Margot would rather be something else versus joining her father. However, when Margot thinks about where she should be and that is with her fiancé’ Stefan, Margot realizes that Paris is not so bad after all. It is not that Margot did not once love Stefan but since his return, he is a changed man.
While in Paris, Margot meets Krysia, a piano player and Georg, a solider. Both Krysia and Georg will help shape and change Margot’s world forever.
The Ambassador’s Daughter is like the fourth book that I have read by this author. I have enjoyed reading books from this author. Pam makes her characters feel alive and the world she builds around them in her books is great. It is like I booked a trip to wherever the story is based around.
I have not read the Kommandant’s Girl, so I did not make the connection like some of the other readers did that this book was a prequel to the Kommandant’s Girl. Of course, not that it mattered to me as I still enjoyed this book. For me it probably was a good thing that I had not read Kommandant’s Girl this way I did not already know how it would all end. I was just able to sit back and read this book.
I liked Margot although I can not say that I was in love with her. This is because, while Margot was nice so was almost too nice. I wanted her to have more of a back bone and stand up for herself and not try to be what everyone else wanted or thought she should be. For example, I thought that Margot should have cut off her engagement to Stefan. It was clear that Margot had strong feelings for Georg. The last few chapters tied up the story nicely. While there really was no surprises.
While in Paris, Margot meets Krysia, a piano player and Georg, a solider. Both Krysia and Georg will help shape and change Margot’s world forever.
The Ambassador’s Daughter is like the fourth book that I have read by this author. I have enjoyed reading books from this author. Pam makes her characters feel alive and the world she builds around them in her books is great. It is like I booked a trip to wherever the story is based around.
I have not read the Kommandant’s Girl, so I did not make the connection like some of the other readers did that this book was a prequel to the Kommandant’s Girl. Of course, not that it mattered to me as I still enjoyed this book. For me it probably was a good thing that I had not read Kommandant’s Girl this way I did not already know how it would all end. I was just able to sit back and read this book.
I liked Margot although I can not say that I was in love with her. This is because, while Margot was nice so was almost too nice. I wanted her to have more of a back bone and stand up for herself and not try to be what everyone else wanted or thought she should be. For example, I thought that Margot should have cut off her engagement to Stefan. It was clear that Margot had strong feelings for Georg. The last few chapters tied up the story nicely. While there really was no surprises.
heidenkind's review against another edition
You know that book Flora Poste is writing in Cold Comfort Farm (the mini-series; I haven't read the book)? The writing style in this novel is kind of like that.
aylasreads's review against another edition
4.0
i don’t even like period pieces but this book was way more than i was expecting. sure it was cheesy and the characters could piss me off at times, but i really enjoyed it.
krkelley0307's review against another edition
2.0
Sorely disappointed. This book was a huge let down after reading The Kommadant's Girl and The Diplomat's Wife.
tobyyy's review against another edition
4.0
How to sum up this book in just a short review... hmm.
Well, I went into this book with the assumption that it would just be a romance novel. Aside from the setting in history (just after WWI, in Europe), I wasn't really sure that I would be terribly interested in the plot.
But man, was I surprised!
Yes, there's romance... but although that's the focus of the plot, it's not really what the book is about.
You're probably thinking, "Whaaa?" right about now, so let me explain.
The book is about growing. Changing. Realizing the finality of some choices (of many choices). Understanding freedom and what that means, and how your personal definition of freedom can change, given your circumstances. Realizing that as time passes, your world can expand -- if you let it. Realizing that although sometimes someone (a parent or guardian) has your life all planned out to the Nth degree, you don't have to follow that plan. You can carve your own path.
My one complaint with this book is that the ending was not satisfactory. But it wasn't a cliffhanger either. And apparently this is a book in a series? (Something I didn't know when I picked it up.) So I may look for the other books in this series...
Definitely recommend, especially if you feel like reading a romance-y type book that actually has substance.
(Also, spies!)
Well, I went into this book with the assumption that it would just be a romance novel. Aside from the setting in history (just after WWI, in Europe), I wasn't really sure that I would be terribly interested in the plot.
But man, was I surprised!
Yes, there's romance... but although that's the focus of the plot, it's not really what the book is about.
You're probably thinking, "Whaaa?" right about now, so let me explain.
The book is about growing. Changing. Realizing the finality of some choices (of many choices). Understanding freedom and what that means, and how your personal definition of freedom can change, given your circumstances. Realizing that as time passes, your world can expand -- if you let it. Realizing that although sometimes someone (a parent or guardian) has your life all planned out to the Nth degree, you don't have to follow that plan. You can carve your own path.
My one complaint with this book is that the ending was not satisfactory. But it wasn't a cliffhanger either. And apparently this is a book in a series? (Something I didn't know when I picked it up.) So I may look for the other books in this series...
Definitely recommend, especially if you feel like reading a romance-y type book that actually has substance.
(Also, spies!)
katlashw's review
2.0
I read this after reading the Kommandant’s Girl and it ruined the Kommandant’s Girl for me. Without giving anything away, character motivation in later years makes no sense with the information from this prequel.