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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
When WWII begins, Juliet tries for an exciting war job but instead gets placed as a transcriber. She finds herself recording the mostly humdrum conversations of Nazi sympathizers who think they’ve become informants for an undercover Gestapo agent. In reality, they are under watch by MI5. Kate Atkinson’s writing brings a wry voice to the daily grind of spy work.
Despite enjoying the premise, voice, and characters, this book didn’t rise to the level of “Life after Life” or “A God in Ruins.” I guess I expected some literary gimmicks after those books. This book begins and ends with one page set in 1981, in which Juliet is reflecting on her life. The ensuing book (presumably her life reflections) take place in 1940 & 1950, and yet despite a lot of anticipation, not much happens.
Despite enjoying the premise, voice, and characters, this book didn’t rise to the level of “Life after Life” or “A God in Ruins.” I guess I expected some literary gimmicks after those books. This book begins and ends with one page set in 1981, in which Juliet is reflecting on her life. The ensuing book (presumably her life reflections) take place in 1940 & 1950, and yet despite a lot of anticipation, not much happens.
I couldn’t get into the book. I gave it 200 pages but didn’t feel compelled to read. I want a book that I can’t put down. Life After Life was one of my favorite books though. I just wasn’t very interested in this topic.
This book, in my opinion, tried to shock and awe but it seemed lacking. It was hard to follow with such a weird twist at the end that had no basis in the entire story. It was not my favorite.
Kate Atkinson always gives you a little something extra. So when she delivers a spy novel, we get a few extra layers of spycraft, in several different ways. She also gives us a few extra moral layers. She gives us a story that is both thrilling and complex and thoughtful. Her books are always a treat.
I enjoyed this book a lot- I love the characters and her writing. I especially like that everything is a little complicated-there’s an interplay between good and evil that just keeps pulling me in as a reader.
While this book did have "depth and texture" as the blurb suggests and was a good book, it felt almost plodding, at least compared to others of her books. It didn't totally bowl me away like Life after Life or impress me as much as A God in Ruins. If this was the first book of hers I read, I'd enjoy it but I wouldn't be desperate for her next offering. That being said, as a fan of historical fiction, I did find the workings of wartime MI5 and especially the post-war BBC to be fascinating, and I really appreciated the amount of research that went into the book. But on the whole, it's pretty difficult to read a normal book by someone whose sheer brilliance you have glimpsed multiple times before.
The fine print: received ARC from NetGalley. Also, reviewed 12/12/18, hence lack of detail.
The fine print: received ARC from NetGalley. Also, reviewed 12/12/18, hence lack of detail.
Enjoyed this book and a different perspective/way to tell another WWII story. I think that Atkinson did a good job of fictionalizing a fascinating piece of history.
I picked it up again....and decided that I really don't care to read this book.