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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Twin sisters Ruth and Iris travel to Rome shortly before the outbreak of World War II to visit their brother. While there, Iris falls in love with affirmed communist and United States diplomatic worker, Sasha Digby, and decides to remain with him, even after Ruth returns home, warning Iris that Sasha will disappoint her. Year later, Iris and Sasha have three children and are living in London, but after a disastrous incident, he defects to Russia and brings his family with him. Four years later, Ruth is pulled in by a federal agent, Charles Sumner Fox, to save the family from the Russians.
Pros:
-Intriguing subject matter, especially since the author throws in Guy Burgess, who was a real defector from the United Kingdom to the Soviet Union.
-Fast-paced writing with current day mixed with a slower narrative explaining what led to Ruth's involvement in 1952.
Cons:
-Possibly a little short on detail or character development, particularly in comparison to Kate Quinn's novels, which follow a similar trajectory.
Pros:
-Intriguing subject matter, especially since the author throws in Guy Burgess, who was a real defector from the United Kingdom to the Soviet Union.
-Fast-paced writing with current day mixed with a slower narrative explaining what led to Ruth's involvement in 1952.
Cons:
-Possibly a little short on detail or character development, particularly in comparison to Kate Quinn's novels, which follow a similar trajectory.
I hate it when the title gives away the big twist.
And I'm not that fond of novels that cycle back and forth from the first person to the third.
But this was an interesting read, nonethless.
And I'm not that fond of novels that cycle back and forth from the first person to the third.
But this was an interesting read, nonethless.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the second novel I've read by Williams, and I am a fan of her style.The writing is solid, as are the characters. It follows the stories of two sisters, told via several timelines between 1940 and 1952. The Cold War espionage novel is based loosely on the Cambridge Spy Ring that notoriously passed along secret information to the Soviet Union before defecting to the USSR.
Sisters Ruth and Iris Macallister are in Rome when Hitler starts his roll across Europe. Ruth is ready to go home to New York, but Iris has fallen in love with Sasha Digby, an American embassy official. Sasha has bought the socialist philosophy hook line and sinker, and he becomes a double agent. The sisters don't speak for twelve years, until Ruth receives a letter from Iris, who is living with her family in Moscow. It's up to Ruth to help get her sister out. A really good story based loosely on the British spies Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean. I loved the story line. Characters very well developed. Hard to put down. A good read.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A little chaotic and all over the place. It was hard to stay engaged with individual characters.