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95 reviews for:
De dochter van de ambassadeur: Een prachtig verhaal over moed, verlangen en liefde in bewogen tijden
Pam Jenoff
3.44 AVERAGE
95 reviews for:
De dochter van de ambassadeur: Een prachtig verhaal over moed, verlangen en liefde in bewogen tijden
Pam Jenoff
3.44 AVERAGE
This book was a waste of my time. It gave the feeling it was supposed to be many books and it was none of them.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I’m being completely honest, romance wise, I much preferred this one to The Kommandant’s Girl. Although, it is almost EXACTLY the same story with almost EXACTLY the same characters, Pam Jenoff did a great job changing it to fit in with the post-WW1 settings. It was interesting to watch how quickly my opinions of the characters changed. Wonderful book!
Pam Jenoff's newest release, The Ambassador's Daughter, is one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. In fact, I'm a bit divided about this book because, even though I did truly like it, I wasn't a huge fan of the main character.
For those that have read Jenoff's The Kommandant's Girl, this newest book takes place before the events in that particular books, so you may be happy to discover that some of the characters in that novel make appearances in The Ambassador's Daughter. As someone who hasn't read the Kommandant books, I found the descriptions of those books to be a bit spoilery, since they, in effect, reveal some things about the future of the characters in The Ambassador's Daughter. So, if you're first experience reading Jenoff is The Ambassador's Daughter, DO NOT read any reviews or descriptions of the Kommandant books until you've finished and are ready to move on!
I'd categorize this novel as historical fiction with strong romance elements, as, for me, I felt like the focus was more on the history and politics. Even though I know very little about the time period, I didn't find myself getting too confused by events. I think it helped immensely that the reader sees everything through the eyes of a naive 20-year old, meaning that everything is slowed down and simplified as she reflects upon the events and situations she finds herself thrown into. I can't say for sure that everything in the novel is historically accurate, but it felt realistic and, for me, that was enough.
As noted earlier, I didn't find much to like about Margot Rosenthal. She felt quite silly to me... she was terribly naive and almost seemed to let herself fall into unfortunate situations, which she then complained about and fretted over to no end. I like my characters to take responsibility for their actions and fight for what they believe in, and I did not see Margot as this type of character at all. In the end, she finally does what I felt she should do all along, but it wasn't something she actually made the choice to do. Instead, things just worked out. Dislike! Take some initiative, Margot! I had to keep reminding myself that she is only supposed to be twenty, which is quite young, but, in my opinion, she could have used a bit more fire.
I think, because Margot felt so young and silly to me most of the time, I found her relationship with Georg Richwalder, an older man, improbable at times. In retrospect, I even found it a bit uncomfortable. It'd be one thing if I felt Margot was mature with a sensibilities that made her feel older than her twenty years, but this was not the case. I'm a bit unsure as to why Richwalder would be interested in someone who, to me, was a child. Margot's father spent much of the book trying to both support Margot while warning against the match and I can't say I disagreed with him. I felt that Margot had a lot of growing to do and that a relationship with a broken, potential alcoholic like Georg was not in her best interest.
Despite my issues with Margot, I really did love the setting and even started to take interest in the political and military scheming of the era. I developed a soft spot for the Polish musician Krysia, displaced from home and without a country. My great-grandparents came from Poland and, though I don't know near as much as I should about the country and my heritage, I couldn't help but feel a kinship with her. I was very happy to discover that Krysia is also a character in Jenoff's other novels.
I plan to read the rest of Jenoff's novels because, though I wasn't a fan of Margot, I really did enjoy Jenoff's writing, the complexity of the plot, and the secondary characters (which, thankfully can be found in the Kommandant books!). The romance is there if you're a reader that gravitates toward that in particular, but I appreciated this book much more as a historical drama.
For those that have read Jenoff's The Kommandant's Girl, this newest book takes place before the events in that particular books, so you may be happy to discover that some of the characters in that novel make appearances in The Ambassador's Daughter. As someone who hasn't read the Kommandant books, I found the descriptions of those books to be a bit spoilery, since they, in effect, reveal some things about the future of the characters in The Ambassador's Daughter. So, if you're first experience reading Jenoff is The Ambassador's Daughter, DO NOT read any reviews or descriptions of the Kommandant books until you've finished and are ready to move on!
I'd categorize this novel as historical fiction with strong romance elements, as, for me, I felt like the focus was more on the history and politics. Even though I know very little about the time period, I didn't find myself getting too confused by events. I think it helped immensely that the reader sees everything through the eyes of a naive 20-year old, meaning that everything is slowed down and simplified as she reflects upon the events and situations she finds herself thrown into. I can't say for sure that everything in the novel is historically accurate, but it felt realistic and, for me, that was enough.
As noted earlier, I didn't find much to like about Margot Rosenthal. She felt quite silly to me... she was terribly naive and almost seemed to let herself fall into unfortunate situations, which she then complained about and fretted over to no end. I like my characters to take responsibility for their actions and fight for what they believe in, and I did not see Margot as this type of character at all. In the end, she finally does what I felt she should do all along, but it wasn't something she actually made the choice to do. Instead, things just worked out. Dislike! Take some initiative, Margot! I had to keep reminding myself that she is only supposed to be twenty, which is quite young, but, in my opinion, she could have used a bit more fire.
I think, because Margot felt so young and silly to me most of the time, I found her relationship with Georg Richwalder, an older man, improbable at times. In retrospect, I even found it a bit uncomfortable. It'd be one thing if I felt Margot was mature with a sensibilities that made her feel older than her twenty years, but this was not the case. I'm a bit unsure as to why Richwalder would be interested in someone who, to me, was a child. Margot's father spent much of the book trying to both support Margot while warning against the match and I can't say I disagreed with him. I felt that Margot had a lot of growing to do and that a relationship with a broken, potential alcoholic like Georg was not in her best interest.
Despite my issues with Margot, I really did love the setting and even started to take interest in the political and military scheming of the era. I developed a soft spot for the Polish musician Krysia, displaced from home and without a country. My great-grandparents came from Poland and, though I don't know near as much as I should about the country and my heritage, I couldn't help but feel a kinship with her. I was very happy to discover that Krysia is also a character in Jenoff's other novels.
I plan to read the rest of Jenoff's novels because, though I wasn't a fan of Margot, I really did enjoy Jenoff's writing, the complexity of the plot, and the secondary characters (which, thankfully can be found in the Kommandant books!). The romance is there if you're a reader that gravitates toward that in particular, but I appreciated this book much more as a historical drama.
Is this book a little bit predictable? Yes. Do I love it any less? No. If you are a fan of historical fictions specifically from the early 20th century then this is a book you need to add to your list.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It takes some skill to effectively write historical fiction in a way that rings true with the reader. The Ambassador’s Daughter is a fairly strong example. While I certainly cannot testify to the authenticity of the details, the author does a credible job of bringing to life the world in Europe after the war. The author drew out Margot’s tale, carefully laying out various parts of her life and writing them into one cohesive story. Though I do have reservations, this novel was actually a breath of fresh air after reading so much YA.
Margot is, for me, a relatable character. This probably has to do with the fact that she appears to be stuck between what is expected of her and what she wants to do, a conflict many people experience. Her father expects her to want to return to Germany to finally marry her fiancé Stefan, who was wounded in the war. Stefan, of course, expects her to return to him so they can finally be together. But Margot feels a deep yearning – for knowledge, for freedom, for exploration – and she keeps prolonging her return as best she can. I found her insatiable desire for more understandable, as I too have felt that way. Margot seemed to be on the brink of something grand and new and wonderful, and I wanted her to be able to have it all – without breaking anyone’s heart, of course. Does that happen? Well, you’ll have to read and find out.
Margot gets caught up in some complicated business, mostly because of the tempestuous political and international relations during that time. It’s both fascinating and terrifying to see all the different motives that people have, as well as to find Margot completely stumped on what the right thing to do is. I cannot imagine the fear, pressure and (possible) thrill of being put in such a position, but the author did a good job in making the reader feel those things. Depending on which side you happen to be on, you could either be making a great contribution to your cause, navigating a tricky minefield or toppling a movement. Margot’s experiences formed a good chunk of this novel, and I liked reading about them.
My reservations are mostly personal ones, so it might not bother other readers. On occasion, I’d find my attention wander while I was reading, instead of being completely captivated. I would fall in and out of the story, which left me feeling disjointed. And I was also disappointed with how Margot’s romance ends, since it really felt like a cop-out to me. Everything in that vein ended a little too conveniently for my tastes.
However, overall, The Ambassador’s Daughter was a good read. I really liked Margot, and the story of her adventures in subtle espionage and romance really appealed to me. In spite of my lukewarm feelings towards the writing and the ending, I still think it was worth a read, especially because it was decidedly different from my usual YA fare.
(Review is also on the blog)
Margot is, for me, a relatable character. This probably has to do with the fact that she appears to be stuck between what is expected of her and what she wants to do, a conflict many people experience. Her father expects her to want to return to Germany to finally marry her fiancé Stefan, who was wounded in the war. Stefan, of course, expects her to return to him so they can finally be together. But Margot feels a deep yearning – for knowledge, for freedom, for exploration – and she keeps prolonging her return as best she can. I found her insatiable desire for more understandable, as I too have felt that way. Margot seemed to be on the brink of something grand and new and wonderful, and I wanted her to be able to have it all – without breaking anyone’s heart, of course. Does that happen? Well, you’ll have to read and find out.
Margot gets caught up in some complicated business, mostly because of the tempestuous political and international relations during that time. It’s both fascinating and terrifying to see all the different motives that people have, as well as to find Margot completely stumped on what the right thing to do is. I cannot imagine the fear, pressure and (possible) thrill of being put in such a position, but the author did a good job in making the reader feel those things. Depending on which side you happen to be on, you could either be making a great contribution to your cause, navigating a tricky minefield or toppling a movement. Margot’s experiences formed a good chunk of this novel, and I liked reading about them.
My reservations are mostly personal ones, so it might not bother other readers. On occasion, I’d find my attention wander while I was reading, instead of being completely captivated. I would fall in and out of the story, which left me feeling disjointed. And I was also disappointed with how Margot’s romance ends, since it really felt like a cop-out to me. Everything in that vein ended a little too conveniently for my tastes.
However, overall, The Ambassador’s Daughter was a good read. I really liked Margot, and the story of her adventures in subtle espionage and romance really appealed to me. In spite of my lukewarm feelings towards the writing and the ending, I still think it was worth a read, especially because it was decidedly different from my usual YA fare.
(Review is also on the blog)