Scan barcode
erinnejc's review against another edition
3.0
Not my typical novel but I found it to be enjoyable and would recommend to others.
terpsjas's review against another edition
3.0
Good Book
A little difficult to follow, but an enjoyable book it was. Joseph Kanon is still one of my favorite authors.
A little difficult to follow, but an enjoyable book it was. Joseph Kanon is still one of my favorite authors.
emilybryk's review against another edition
3.0
Mostly, this reminded me how little I know about the Rape of Berlin.
alexowens's review against another edition
2.0
Stunning book, and right up to the end I was really going to give this 5 stars for the captivating portrayal of post-war Berlin... but then the third act, and more specifically the denouement, just falls apart, with too much going on and everything very briefly and unsatisfactorily coming together. The end felt very rushed and unexplained, with some of the occurrences being completely spontaneous and without any signposting or subtle hints to even prepare the audience. Disappointed to see a brilliant book stop being brilliant at the end.
rebecca2023's review against another edition
4.0
Idealistic German intellectuals convene in East Berlin after the war, eager to create a socialist society. They find themselves making serious compromises, believing it necessary in order to advance their ideology. This is the background for a fast paced spy thriller.
daniel_mc_adam's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic book and a look into Berlin in ‘49. Brilliant characters and real suspense in every chapter. Would definitely read it again.
egomaxima's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A very gripping read, I finished it in just a couple sittings. I really liked the insight into history as well. My main beef was with the characters (mostly one character), but I can’t assume to know better than the author about being an individual trapped in that situation.
peterp3's review against another edition
4.0
Good plot reflecting the complexities of post-war Berlin for the Germans adjusting from Nazi rule to Russian rule. It seems rather improbable that our hero could really outwit the American and the German and the Russian secret services, but the writing style is well-matched to the fast-action plot. It’s very dialogue-driven, and the characters frequently interrupt each other, or leave sentences half-said.
tuomosuominen's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent thriller with an initially unlikely protagonist turning into a semiprofessional Cold War operative, the story covering quite a lot of what I just read in Philip Kerr's Field Grey.
jnieto's review against another edition
3.0
Fine up to the last pages, where an out-of-the-blue finish did not satisfy me.