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teejayniu's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This one was a slow burn, but grew more and more absorbing. The characters feel very real. It takes place in settings and stories that often don’t share the spotlight of this era. It’s a journey of a story and one that is often melancholy.
richardwells's review against another edition
5.0
This is an absolutely terrific piece of work. Fascinating characters, an inventive plot that moves through exciting times and places, worldly wisdom, and zingers of good writing popping out on nearly every page. Pre WWII espionage- skullduggery, intrigue, idealism raised and ruined, friendships tested, back stabbing and glad handing in a milieu as noir as all get out.
Big Wow!
Big Wow!
aliciadietrich's review against another edition
3.0
Staggering detail in this book--you really get a sense of the culture and the mood of the period.
I had difficulty in parts of the book, but that was mostly due to my own ignorance of Eastern European and Russian history. Oh and my lack of knowledge about politics involved in the Spanish Civil War.
But Furst does an incredible job of creating characters and very itricate plots set in a very complex period of history.
I had difficulty in parts of the book, but that was mostly due to my own ignorance of Eastern European and Russian history. Oh and my lack of knowledge about politics involved in the Spanish Civil War.
But Furst does an incredible job of creating characters and very itricate plots set in a very complex period of history.
benjamins's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
r_marks831's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Furst is a really good writer.
elliottm3's review against another edition
2.0
The writing style is interesting, and not to my liking. Furst paints a good scene, but there is no fluency in the book. Spend 50 pages getting invested in the place, people, and political climate, and then after a minor climax the story basically starts over in a new place with mostly new characters. Not my favorite, almost seems like they are a collection of short stories that are roughly linked together. Reading reviews of other books by Furst, it seems like this is his style, so won't be reading any more of his books in the future.
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting view of the "spy business" circa 1930. How Russia then the URSS recruted young men and a few women from the Eastern European countries to built up their Secret Service.
The plot is a bit all over the place, the characters are a bit also all over the place. The main character Khristo is strong, smart and a bit heroic in an Atlantis John Sheppard way (no men left behind, etc). The historical background is amazing in the descriptions, the set-up, the reader is inside the secret services (British, OSS, NKVD and a few others spliter branches.
I liked it. It took me more time to read than I would have liked because the plot was not as "thrilling" and this one is not a page turner type of narrative but worth reading at a slower pace.
The plot is a bit all over the place, the characters are a bit also all over the place. The main character Khristo is strong, smart and a bit heroic in an Atlantis John Sheppard way (no men left behind, etc). The historical background is amazing in the descriptions, the set-up, the reader is inside the secret services (British, OSS, NKVD and a few others spliter branches.
I liked it. It took me more time to read than I would have liked because the plot was not as "thrilling" and this one is not a page turner type of narrative but worth reading at a slower pace.
pussreboots's review against another edition
2.0
http://pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2015/comments_05/night_soldiers.html
gmh711's review against another edition
3.0
"Are you a Communist, Ilya? In your heart?" "Oh yes. Aren't you?" "No. I just want to live my life, to be left alone." The world does not leave Khristo alone. The history of before and during World War II is intricately told through the travels and participation of Khristo. The book felt more like a volume of novellas loosely connected by Khristo. This was Furst's first in a series of historical spy novels set between 1933 and 1945. "Alan Furst's books are addictive - if you like one, you have to read them all." says Mark Horowitz in New York Magazine. I haven't decided yet.