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A review by paul_cornelius
Funeral in Berlin by Len Deighton
4.0
A wide ranging spy novel, which is quite the opposite of the film version. Whereas the 1966 film with Michael Caine locks onto Berlin as its locale for action, Deighton's book actually ranges over France, Eastern Europe, and spends as much or more time in the UK than in Berlin. For it's not just a spy story that Deighton has written, it's a commentary on the aftermath of World War II and the quagmire into which escaped war criminals, wartime opportunists, and those who wanted to forget their past could disappear. Thus it is no surprise to see so much of the plot take place in seedy run-down garages, hotels, rented rooms, and the like. The glamour of the James Bond type spy doesn't exist, here.
One thing missing from Deighton's earlier success is the wry witticisms that gloss the culture of the times. Instead, this takes plot takes its commentary on chess at the beginning of each chapter and sets its protagonist and other characters against the almost predetermined moves and limits of the pieces on the game board.
One thing missing from Deighton's earlier success is the wry witticisms that gloss the culture of the times. Instead, this takes plot takes its commentary on chess at the beginning of each chapter and sets its protagonist and other characters against the almost predetermined moves and limits of the pieces on the game board.