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clonimhuiri's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
This historical fiction novel is set during World War Two, focusing on the V2 rockets targeting London and the efforts to stop them. Like all of Harris’s books, it’s extremely well-researched, and fact and fiction are woven together seamlessly to create the narrative.
I particularly liked the fact that the novel switched between two main characters - one a German rocket engineer, one a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in the UK - showing the effect each character’s work and actions had on the other to drive the story on.
At times the narrative called for some technical explanation, but this never gets in the way of the plot or the reader’s engagement with the story. Definitely a recommended read for anyone interested in historical fiction.
piedwarbler's review against another edition
4.0
A really fascinating book about the V2 rocket, incorporating historical truth about some of the places which were hit in London, including Billericay, Barking and Dagenham. I enjoyed this a lot. The two main characters are a woman who uses her knowledge of maths to help calculate the trajectory of the rockets, and Graf, the German scientist who works on the development of the V2 itself, and who later comes to question his own moral code.
Yes, it’s technical in places, but not so technical that I lost interest or couldn’t follow. I wouldn’t be out off by that.
I would read another Robert Harris - maybe Munich is next in my wish list!
This book was lent to me by a neighbour, and I’m really glad he pressed his copy into my hands.
Yes, it’s technical in places, but not so technical that I lost interest or couldn’t follow. I wouldn’t be out off by that.
I would read another Robert Harris - maybe Munich is next in my wish list!
This book was lent to me by a neighbour, and I’m really glad he pressed his copy into my hands.
nicjohnston's review against another edition
4.0
V2 is a smart blend of fact and fiction written by probably the most engaging writer in this genre.
It’s the tail end of WWII and the Germans have taken to increasingly blistering V2 rocket attacks on London. The story revolves around Rudi Graf, the German engineer spearheading the rocket campaign (but dreaming of sending rockets into space not as a means of destruction), and Kay Caron-Walsh a member of the WAAF who gets caught up with the V2s in more ways than one.
I spotted the negative reviews for V2, mainly by those picking holes in the facts. However, I read it as a work of fiction and thoroughly enjoyed it throughout. I did the Audible version and the narration was excellent. I am a Robert Harris fan and thought this was a masterful work of fact based fiction.
It’s the tail end of WWII and the Germans have taken to increasingly blistering V2 rocket attacks on London. The story revolves around Rudi Graf, the German engineer spearheading the rocket campaign (but dreaming of sending rockets into space not as a means of destruction), and Kay Caron-Walsh a member of the WAAF who gets caught up with the V2s in more ways than one.
I spotted the negative reviews for V2, mainly by those picking holes in the facts. However, I read it as a work of fiction and thoroughly enjoyed it throughout. I did the Audible version and the narration was excellent. I am a Robert Harris fan and thought this was a masterful work of fact based fiction.
jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
Once again Robert Harris has taken known historical events and turned them into a compelling story. In this instance he's writing about the German V2 programme in the final years of WW2 and the British efforts to destroy the launch sites. I knew nothing about the V2 programme, which involved long range missiles fired at London from the Dutch coast. I didn't even realise that the German had bombs that weren't dropped from planes. So I really enjoyed learning about this part of history as well as the story itself.
As in [b:Munich|33539583|Munich|Robert Harris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489391219l/33539583._SY75_.jpg|54306435], Harris alternates chapters between a German and a British character. Dr Rudi Graf is a (fictional) engineer on the V2 project, working alongside many real life individuals. On the other side is Kay Caton-Walsh, working in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and part of the team who are using radar to try to locate the V2 firing sites. I particularly liked Kay's chapters which are tenser and more cinematic - the German chapters included a lot of background information about the V2 and Rudi was a less interesting character.
The book is both immaculately researched and extremely readable. While it's missing the x factor that puts a book into the "can't put it down" category, it's still a fascinating read.
As in [b:Munich|33539583|Munich|Robert Harris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489391219l/33539583._SY75_.jpg|54306435], Harris alternates chapters between a German and a British character. Dr Rudi Graf is a (fictional) engineer on the V2 project, working alongside many real life individuals. On the other side is Kay Caton-Walsh, working in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and part of the team who are using radar to try to locate the V2 firing sites. I particularly liked Kay's chapters which are tenser and more cinematic - the German chapters included a lot of background information about the V2 and Rudi was a less interesting character.
The book is both immaculately researched and extremely readable. While it's missing the x factor that puts a book into the "can't put it down" category, it's still a fascinating read.
hedread's review
3.0
The story was interesting enough. Perhaps the writing was a bit too rushed. Felt like some of the loose bits remained untied.
laurajh77's review
4.0
War fiction isn’t my favourite genre, but I enjoyed Harris’ previous books based around the war and the way he links fact and fiction. This was enjoyable, if a bit light perhaps. We had little in the way of character building and the time period was very narrow, but still a decent read and some history to learn too.
markreadsbooks_sg's review against another edition
4.0
Synopsis
November 1944
Willi Graf, a German rocket engineer, is launching Nazi Germany's V2 rockets at London from Occupied Holland. Kay Connolly, once an actress, now a young English Intelligence officer, ships out for Belgium to locate the launch sites and neutralize the threat.
But when rumors of a defector circulate through the German ranks, Graf becomes a suspect. Unknown to each other, Graf and Connolly find themselves on opposite sides of the hunt for the saboteur.
Their twin stories play out against the background of the German missile campaign, one of the most epic and modern but least explored episodes of the Second World War. Their destinies are on a collision course.
V2 is a well written wartime thriller based around the V2 rocket attacks on England during the last few months of world war II.
While the characters were somewhat 2 dimensional with the characters only, given just enough to allow the story to move along, although the people in the book reminded me of those in a world war II movie, from just after the war, with everyone seems to have a stiff upper lip.
Having said that, this is not the style of book that you need to have, a lot of characterisation of the people involved in the story. Which means they had sufficient character background and development, to make this book still an enjoyable book to read.
What I really like was the flashbacks of Willi Graf, the German engineer, as it allowed the writer to give, Robert Harris, to tell the story of the development of the V2 Rocket, as well as some technical information, however this never felt like Robert Harris adding information, just to show the research he had done on the book, but to allow the reader to get some background knowledge of the rocket.
Narration Review
I have the same feeling about the narration as I do about the depth of the characterisation, in that while not the greatest that I ever heard it was one of those stories where you did not need much acting ability for this story.
But what the narrator needed to do from speaking clearly and allowing the listener to know which individual was speaking, without too much difficulty/
Recommendation
This is one of those books that is not only suitable for fans of Robert Harris, or people who enjoy World War II novels, that are not all physical action, but still have danger and tension in the story. If This is the type of book you like then you should read V2 by Robert Harris.
November 1944
Willi Graf, a German rocket engineer, is launching Nazi Germany's V2 rockets at London from Occupied Holland. Kay Connolly, once an actress, now a young English Intelligence officer, ships out for Belgium to locate the launch sites and neutralize the threat.
But when rumors of a defector circulate through the German ranks, Graf becomes a suspect. Unknown to each other, Graf and Connolly find themselves on opposite sides of the hunt for the saboteur.
Their twin stories play out against the background of the German missile campaign, one of the most epic and modern but least explored episodes of the Second World War. Their destinies are on a collision course.
V2 is a well written wartime thriller based around the V2 rocket attacks on England during the last few months of world war II.
While the characters were somewhat 2 dimensional with the characters only, given just enough to allow the story to move along, although the people in the book reminded me of those in a world war II movie, from just after the war, with everyone seems to have a stiff upper lip.
Having said that, this is not the style of book that you need to have, a lot of characterisation of the people involved in the story. Which means they had sufficient character background and development, to make this book still an enjoyable book to read.
What I really like was the flashbacks of Willi Graf, the German engineer, as it allowed the writer to give, Robert Harris, to tell the story of the development of the V2 Rocket, as well as some technical information, however this never felt like Robert Harris adding information, just to show the research he had done on the book, but to allow the reader to get some background knowledge of the rocket.
Narration Review
I have the same feeling about the narration as I do about the depth of the characterisation, in that while not the greatest that I ever heard it was one of those stories where you did not need much acting ability for this story.
But what the narrator needed to do from speaking clearly and allowing the listener to know which individual was speaking, without too much difficulty/
Recommendation
This is one of those books that is not only suitable for fans of Robert Harris, or people who enjoy World War II novels, that are not all physical action, but still have danger and tension in the story. If This is the type of book you like then you should read V2 by Robert Harris.
vvolof's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25