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whatjuliareads's review
3.0
This was a very... okay book, for me. The premise was interesting, the multiple timelines had promise. I enjoyed the focus on German immigrant experience, though it'd have been nice to see some named German immigrants who, you know, didn't wind up working for/collaborating with the Nazis.
The layout of this book was jarring, and I think that there's a good chance that a lot of the charm of this book was lost in translation (there's nothing bad about the translation, to be clear, in the beginning it's boxy and repetitive - but overall it reads just as well as a book originally written in English from the perspective of me, an English reader).
I also found a lot of this very much feeling like the reader was held at arm's length. We didn't really get to know Josef, which, as an actual person that a novel was written about, might be good for him. His feelings about what he'd done and his reasons for doing them were very flat and one-dimensional. But, again, this could be a language thing. German seems to have a lot more very specific words than English has, so who knows!
If you like histories from the perspective of people who make a series of bad mistakes and then can't get themselves out, this could be an interesting read for you. If you read both English and German, maybe it'd be a fun one to read both in English and German, who knows!
The layout of this book was jarring, and I think that there's a good chance that a lot of the charm of this book was lost in translation (there's nothing bad about the translation, to be clear, in the beginning it's boxy and repetitive - but overall it reads just as well as a book originally written in English from the perspective of me, an English reader).
I also found a lot of this very much feeling like the reader was held at arm's length. We didn't really get to know Josef, which, as an actual person that a novel was written about, might be good for him. His feelings about what he'd done and his reasons for doing them were very flat and one-dimensional. But, again, this could be a language thing. German seems to have a lot more very specific words than English has, so who knows!
If you like histories from the perspective of people who make a series of bad mistakes and then can't get themselves out, this could be an interesting read for you. If you read both English and German, maybe it'd be a fun one to read both in English and German, who knows!
serinde4books's review
3.0
I am not a fan of time jump books, I feel like all too often they are disjointed and take away from the story for me. I didn’t care for it in this book either. I also felt this book had no action, everything was a bit slow motion. That is an a bad thing, but it takes a certain mindset to read. It worked, but it is something to be aware of. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I especially enjoyed the narrator‘s point of view a “Nazi Spy.” It was a fresh and different view of WWII events than I usually read. Overall I enjoyed the book, I’m not rushing to recommend but I wouldn’t not either.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*
ejd444's review
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I selected this book because it involved two things I love: amateur radio and history. However both of those only played minor roles in the book.
Frankly the character and plot development made little sense and I am still wondering what became of the main character.
Frankly the character and plot development made little sense and I am still wondering what became of the main character.
marjovdwoerd's review against another edition
5.0
Wat een prachtig boek was dit! Heel mooi geschreven waardoor je echt het gevoel had dat je bij Josef was en alles beleefde. Het is een raamvertelling die regelmatig wisselt maar dat is geen belemmering voor het goed kunnen volgen van het verhaal, integendeel.
Ik zou graag meer van deze schrijver lezen.
Ik zou graag meer van deze schrijver lezen.
rohnstrong's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
I’m not sure how to review this. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s beautifully written but, it’s about a nazi collaborator. Unwilling or willing - doesn’t matter. He collaborated with nazis and that’s that.
I should preface by saying I read this because I wanted to know more about the German effort into espionage here in the states before WW2 was in full swing if you will. The book was meticulously researched and the translation note at the end was great. I’ll find it important to read fiction and nonfiction about topics to get a well-rounded view of how we see people.
You shouldn’t root for Josef. He’s an ass with a terrible conscious. He chooses to overlook so many things for his own benefit. He’s imprisoned and favors himself like the Statue of Liberty. He’s deported and feels victimized. He illegally escapes the country and heads to a Nazi paradise in South America. That’s it. That’s his life. He’s horrible to everyone he meets. He says he hates nazis until it benefits him and then he’s all, “oh I’m uncomfy guess they weren’t all bad”.
👏🏻He’s 👏🏻a 👏🏻nazi.
I don’t know why this book was written. Why it was published. I don’t know.
I should preface by saying I read this because I wanted to know more about the German effort into espionage here in the states before WW2 was in full swing if you will. The book was meticulously researched and the translation note at the end was great. I’ll find it important to read fiction and nonfiction about topics to get a well-rounded view of how we see people.
You shouldn’t root for Josef. He’s an ass with a terrible conscious. He chooses to overlook so many things for his own benefit. He’s imprisoned and favors himself like the Statue of Liberty. He’s deported and feels victimized. He illegally escapes the country and heads to a Nazi paradise in South America. That’s it. That’s his life. He’s horrible to everyone he meets. He says he hates nazis until it benefits him and then he’s all, “oh I’m uncomfy guess they weren’t all bad”.
👏🏻He’s 👏🏻a 👏🏻nazi.
I don’t know why this book was written. Why it was published. I don’t know.
judenoseinabook's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Interesting historical perspective. How an ordinary German gets drawn into Nazi plot in USA without meaning to and how he is treated afterwards.
bookgirl_reads's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
Ο Τζοζεφ Κλάιν είναι ένας Γερμανός μετανάστης που ζει -πλέον- στο Χάρλεμ της Αμερικής μόνος του, χωρίς ακόμα να έχει βρει την θέση του στην κοινωνία. Πάθος του είναι ο ραδιοερασιτεχνισμός και ως ραδιοερασιτέχνης γρήγορα θα ξεχωρίσει. Χωρίς να το καταλάβει όμως, τον προσελκύουν άτομα ισχυρά και πολύ σύντομα βρίσκεται να συνεργάζεται στο δίκτυο κατασκόπων της γερμανικής Στρατιωτικής Υπηρεσίας Πληροφοριών. Θα καταφέρει να βγει αλώβητος και να ζήσει την ζωή του σε μια περίοδο συγκρούσεων;
Η συγγραφέας γράφει για μια ιστορική περίοδο που θα μπορούσε να μας γεμίσει εικόνες και συναισθήματα αλλά προτιμάει να μην εστιάσει τόσο σε αυτό το κομμάτι, (και καλύτερα) εφόσον υπάρχουν πολλά άλλα βιβλία που το κάνουν. Σκιαγραφεί ένα συγκλονιστικό πορτρέτο των επιπτώσεων που μπορεί να έχει η αναποφασιστικότητα και η απροθυμία ''για δράση'' στον χαρακτήρα και την ψυχή ενός ατόμου και το κάνει με επιτυχία. Οι χαρακτήρες έχουν ένα θλιβερό και γκρι σκιαγράφημα που είναι ακόμα πιο ταιριαστό και ρεαλιστικό με την εποχή. Το μόνο που δεν μου ταίριαξε ήταν ο αργός ρυθμός και που δεν είχε τόσα γεγονότα ώστε να με κρατήσει αφοσιωμένη στην ιστορία.
Η συγγραφέας γράφει για μια ιστορική περίοδο που θα μπορούσε να μας γεμίσει εικόνες και συναισθήματα αλλά προτιμάει να μην εστιάσει τόσο σε αυτό το κομμάτι, (και καλύτερα) εφόσον υπάρχουν πολλά άλλα βιβλία που το κάνουν. Σκιαγραφεί ένα συγκλονιστικό πορτρέτο των επιπτώσεων που μπορεί να έχει η αναποφασιστικότητα και η απροθυμία ''για δράση'' στον χαρακτήρα και την ψυχή ενός ατόμου και το κάνει με επιτυχία. Οι χαρακτήρες έχουν ένα θλιβερό και γκρι σκιαγράφημα που είναι ακόμα πιο ταιριαστό και ρεαλιστικό με την εποχή. Το μόνο που δεν μου ταίριαξε ήταν ο αργός ρυθμός και που δεν είχε τόσα γεγονότα ώστε να με κρατήσει αφοσιωμένη στην ιστορία.
tessevea's review against another edition
5.0
De drie levens van Josef Klein door Ulla Lenze.
In de jaren twintig emigreert Josef Klein vanuit Duitsland naar New York. Vlak voor het uitbreken van de Tweede Wereldoorlog trekken zijn opgedane technische vaardigheden als radiozendamateur de aandacht van invloedrijke mannen. Voor Josef het goed en wel doorheeft, raakt hij verstrikt in het Duitse spionagenetwerk en vervult hij, met alle gevolgen van dien, een cruciale rol in de nazi-onderwereld.
Aan de basis van 'De drie levens van Josef Klein' ligt een briefwisseling tussen Josef en zijn broer Carl.
In de jaren twintig emigreert Josef Klein vanuit Duitsland naar New York. Vlak voor het uitbreken van de Tweede Wereldoorlog trekken zijn opgedane technische vaardigheden als radiozendamateur de aandacht van invloedrijke mannen. Voor Josef het goed en wel doorheeft, raakt hij verstrikt in het Duitse spionagenetwerk en vervult hij, met alle gevolgen van dien, een cruciale rol in de nazi-onderwereld.
Aan de basis van 'De drie levens van Josef Klein' ligt een briefwisseling tussen Josef en zijn broer Carl.