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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don’t normally read books like this one. But... it was good. An exile returns to East Germany and gets involved in subterfuge. The story flows well and has a suitable twist at the end. Very good story! Although the book is a work of fiction, it has some historical basis in the context and setting of Germany in 1949, during the Berlin Airlift. Cold War fans will like this one.
3.5
Not a bad way to pass a few hours. Awfully dialogue heavy for a spy thriller though.
Not a bad way to pass a few hours. Awfully dialogue heavy for a spy thriller though.
Similar to a significant degree to Alan Furst's excellent (although a little formulaic) series of books, maybe with a bit more Le Carre/Ludlum thrown in. I gave it one more star mainly for the historically accurate references and characters that are dotted around the book, many of which led me off on wikipedia searches to read up on the subject. It has most/all of the classic ingredients of a good Cold War spy novel/action drama, everyman hero thrust into dangerous intrigue, love interest hiding something, spy masters with secret agendas, soviet cold hearted villains, all wrapped up in a dark foreboding atmosphere. I have another one of his on my nightstand (The Good German) so I will read that too, but I'm not sure I'll charge through all of his efforts like I have with Furst.
This was a fun read. It's set in a really interesting time period and Kanon does a good job of world building. I thought the characters were a little hard to relate to or root for, but I also feel like that fits the pulpy 40s post-war atmosphere so maybe that was the point.
The plot got a little too convoluted for me at the end. Double cross? Triple cross?
The plot got a little too convoluted for me at the end. Double cross? Triple cross?
Everybody has a price. This is so well illustrated here. It reflects what is going on in the world today. The kompromat politician sells his/her soul.
great premise - a bit formulaic and 'convenient' - liked the ending
It was tedious in the beginning but got much better later.