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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received a complimentary copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Kate Atkinson, Little, Brown and Company, and Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book.
Unfortunately, this book did not work for me at all. The characters were uneven, flat, and not well-developed plus all of the characters were so similar that I got them confused. The ending was just horrible to me - it was so abrupt and sudden.
If you are a fan of Kate Atkinson, then you probably will like this book. However, I cannot in good conscience recommend it.
Unfortunately, this book did not work for me at all. The characters were uneven, flat, and not well-developed plus all of the characters were so similar that I got them confused. The ending was just horrible to me - it was so abrupt and sudden.
If you are a fan of Kate Atkinson, then you probably will like this book. However, I cannot in good conscience recommend it.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Tedious and dull. The "twist" at the end and the "shocking" occurrence hinted at halfway through the book we're not worth the time and effort I put into reading this. It was the first book I started this year and I was determined not to quit it, and that was mistake.
Do not recommend. Such a disappointment after reading "Life After Life."
Do not recommend. Such a disappointment after reading "Life After Life."
I bought this thinking it would be a nice action-packed beach-read for my vacations. It's not that. Still very good. Makes me wish I had paied more attention in Literature class so that I could fully understand it.
Would have rated with 2.5 stars if that was an option.
A spy novel with a different point of view. In 1940, 18 year old Juliet takes a government clerical job. Juliet is shy, a bit naive, orphaned, but has skills. Before long she is recruited by MI5 (British domestic counter-intelligence) to transcribe secret recordings of British undercover agents meeting with Fifth Columnists, British citizens sympathetic to the fascists. Juliet's role is fairly mundane, but eventually leads to bit of field work of her own before long.
Fast forward to 1950. Juliet is radio producer for the BBC, working on equally mundane radio shows, when her past resurfaces in a mysterious way. It's now the Cold War, and the Communists come into play. As with most spy novels, nothing is what it seems, no action is without consequence, and in the word of one character "you know an agent is good at their job if you don't know what side they're on." This leads to some confusion, but that's par for the course for readers of spy novels.
I enjoyed this, and found it very plausible. The author includes some references and further reading to validate the truth behind this story. MI5s secret investigations of British citizens were quite real, and did not fully come to light until 2014. The declassification of these documents was the author's inspiration for this novel.
The details paint a vivid picture of mid century London, including many references and phrases unknown to me until now. Telling the story from Juliet's point of view is a novel idea, but the story is a little more tame than I generally prefer. I'll seek out other books by Kate Atkinson.
Fast forward to 1950. Juliet is radio producer for the BBC, working on equally mundane radio shows, when her past resurfaces in a mysterious way. It's now the Cold War, and the Communists come into play. As with most spy novels, nothing is what it seems, no action is without consequence, and in the word of one character "you know an agent is good at their job if you don't know what side they're on." This leads to some confusion, but that's par for the course for readers of spy novels.
I enjoyed this, and found it very plausible. The author includes some references and further reading to validate the truth behind this story. MI5s secret investigations of British citizens were quite real, and did not fully come to light until 2014. The declassification of these documents was the author's inspiration for this novel.
The details paint a vivid picture of mid century London, including many references and phrases unknown to me until now. Telling the story from Juliet's point of view is a novel idea, but the story is a little more tame than I generally prefer. I'll seek out other books by Kate Atkinson.
Started out strong but fizzled out. I think it's one I'll pick up again in the future but it just doesn't fit my mood at this time.