A decent read. Tight and enjoyable, with a decent amount of suspense in the narrative to keep you going.
It’s a short novel that reads like a short novel, much like Munich. Through the creation of a group of fictional characters, Harris enlivens a real-life drama and well-known actors during the bombardment of London and Antwerp during the waning days of WWII. Two intertwined personal stories (Kate and Graf) are set against the broader episode of the development of Nazi rocket technology and the British battle to combat it is quick. It allows for the elaboration of related events outside of the short 4-day timeframe of the novel.
I am glad to have read the novel and appreciated Harris’ creativity in superimposing Kate and Graf’s individual stories. They encompass the frustrations of war-weariness and personal tragedy, with the vicissitudes of fate shaping the lives of those caught up in the maelstrom of the war. However, the short length of the novel forces the author to do very rapid character development and unfortunately, there is little time to develop any empathy or sympathy for them. The gradual spinning of the tale goes a length towards explaining the protagonists seemingly well established and sometimes extreme actions and reactions. In case of the Graf especially, the reader may question the shifts from resolute altruistic action and otherwise a bitter ennui. Although inexplicable within the space of the novel, one is forced (and almost willing) to allow the author the gaps in backstory and accept that there is a deeper untold story.
In the end, enjoyable, but there is a sense of wanting more – as there was with Munich. The author does not claim a wider narrative nor more than what is delivered. Still, one cannot help but express and appreciation for his style and hope for a more extended, more in-depth and ultimately more satisfying treatment, such as that offered in An Officer and the Spy.
My rating: 4.75 of 5 stars David Gange’s The Frayed Atlantic Edge posits that the trajectory of mapping human experience has moved inland over time. We have lost the presence of the coast(line) in economic, social and historical appreciation of
My rating: 4.75 of 5 stars David Gange’s The Frayed Atlantic Edge posits that the trajectory of mapping human experience has moved inland over time. We have lost the presence of the coast(line) in economic, social and historical appreciation of
Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo by Teasel Muir-Harmony My rating: 4 of 5 stars Operation Moonglow presents a unique angle on the space race. It is particularly well-conceived and meticulously researched. Muir-Harmony explores the psychological geopolitical strategy
Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo by Teasel Muir-Harmony My rating: 4 of 5 stars Operation Moonglow presents a unique angle on the space race. It is particularly well-conceived and meticulously researched. Muir-Harmony explores the psychological geopolitical strategy
Using the Pera Palace (a special locality in a special metropolis), Charles King uses the hotel as a focus for an exploration of the birth of modern Istanbul. He tells a tale well and is an adept manager of tangents.
Using the Pera Palace (a special locality in a special metropolis), Charles King uses the hotel as a focus for an exploration of the birth of modern Istanbul. He tells a tale well and is an adept manager of tangents.
Daughters of the KGB: Moscow’s Secret Spies, Sleepers and Assassins of the Cold War by Douglas Boyd My rating: 3 of 5 stars The year is not over despite me starting to post summation articles on this blog. A gracious
Daughters of the KGB: Moscow’s Secret Spies, Sleepers and Assassins of the Cold War by Douglas Boyd My rating: 3 of 5 stars The year is not over despite me starting to post summation articles on this blog. A gracious
Just because I was tabulating the book club, I decided to avail myself of the data dump from GoodReads.com where I track all my reads and occasional reviews. Just for fun, I thought I’d rank my own reads for the
Just because I was tabulating the book club, I decided to avail myself of the data dump from GoodReads.com where I track all my reads and occasional reviews. Just for fun, I thought I’d rank my own reads for the
As I was compiling this year’s Book Club end of year considerations, I decided to add to some of our tabulating since starting the club. Next April will be out 10th anniversary and so it seems like time for reflection.
As I was compiling this year’s Book Club end of year considerations, I decided to add to some of our tabulating since starting the club. Next April will be out 10th anniversary and so it seems like time for reflection.
On what would pass a normal year, we always look forward to and end of year repast at a cosy cellar of the RIYC coutesy of one of our distinguished members. It’s a night of festive frivolity and likewise the
On what would pass a normal year, we always look forward to and end of year repast at a cosy cellar of the RIYC coutesy of one of our distinguished members. It’s a night of festive frivolity and likewise the
French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris by Scott Dominic Carpenter This is a wonderful little collection of essays written as a cross between Mayle’s A Year in Provence and Clarke’s A Year in the Merde. It’s an enjoyable short
French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris by Scott Dominic Carpenter This is a wonderful little collection of essays written as a cross between Mayle’s A Year in Provence and Clarke’s A Year in the Merde. It’s an enjoyable short
The Paris Hours by Alex George Stunning! Clever and exquisitely crafted, the minutiae of everyday life is performed in cinematic fashion. The brilliant interweaving of well known literary figures who are brought to life through their seemingly inadvertent interaction with
The Paris Hours by Alex George Stunning! Clever and exquisitely crafted, the minutiae of everyday life is performed in cinematic fashion. The brilliant interweaving of well known literary figures who are brought to life through their seemingly inadvertent interaction with
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline This book is getting absolutely trashed. Unfairly. People loved Ready Player One. I did too, and this one is a bit uneven taking a long time actually to reach tempo. It follows on from
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline This book is getting absolutely trashed. Unfairly. People loved Ready Player One. I did too, and this one is a bit uneven taking a long time actually to reach tempo. It follows on from