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generubin's review against another edition
4.0
Not as gripping as some of his books, but still vintage Furst.
tony_t's review against another edition
5.0
Another excellent novel by Alan Furst. If you are looking for more Bourne adventures, keep looking - this isn't it. Furst specializes in stories about "ordinary" people in extraordinary circumstances. His novels remind of the explanation given by Alfred Hitchcock on the tension in his movies. Mr. Hitchcock said (paraphrasing him badly, I'm afraid) that having the viewer be aware of the bomb under the table was much more effective at making a tension-filled story than simply having the bomb blow up. I think Mr. Furst would agree.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
(4.5) This is why I've given Alan Furst so many chances. This is far and away my favorite book he's written and perhaps his best book after Spies of Warsaw. Instead of taking a diplomat or attache and bouncing them around Europe, he goes the route of Eric Ambler, having an unsuspecting man drawn into the action, in this case an Austro-American movie star. And while The World At Night followed the same track of centering Paris and expanding the action outward, this one is more focused than that one was, even if the stakes feel a little lower. And of course, the Paris city porn (lavish dinners, fancy outfits, romance, beauty, etc.) is presented as well as only Furst can do. A good gateway if you're looking to dive into his work.
professorbadger's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
I picked this up from a Little Free Library and approached it with no expectations. Turns out, I quite enjoyed it. The ploy moved slowly at times, but the author did a particularly good job at scene-setting. Interesting that it was set among the world of 1930s filmmaking, because something about the book — its scenes and characters, its dialogue, its subtle humor — reminded me of a classic Hollywood film.
grammalynn's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first Alan Furst novel and I'm now intrigued to read others. Many that have read most or all of his thought this was just okay. I think I also enjoyed it because I have been to Paris with a European husband who speaks French and I've seen so many locations that are in the book without feeling like a tourist. It is a short easy read of 255 pages and interesting time period, the late 30s when Europe was unsettled and alliances were being formed.
bjackrian's review against another edition
3.0
An easy quick read. Entertaining, but a little stylistic/idiosyncratic in spots.
oldmanschindler's review against another edition
4.0
Another solid Furst book. Purchased at Shakespeare & co in the quatier latine, which made it extra good :)
lnkc's review against another edition
3.0
I don't read many spy novels but liked that this one was set in Paris just before World War II. The pacing was a little slow with much of the action happening at the end with no real firm resolution.