ciska's review against another edition
3.0
Obviously, Archer has a trick. He has the good guys, and the bad guys and they fight over generations.
Charlie is a great character, a self-made man coming from the East End and working his way to Eton Square. He takes some shortcuts but does it with enough charm that you can forgive his missteps. It is clear he means well and wants the best for most of the people in his surrounding. On the other side, there is Ms. Trentham who has all the tricks in the book to make his life miserable. It was soo nerve-wracking for me as a reader I got upset by things she did. As the book is told from multiple points of view you get all sides and know things as a reader the other characters are not aware of which adds to that feeling of things going wrong.
I always like that the female characters in Archer's books are strong. They are able to support themselves and take care of stuff.
Charlie is a great character, a self-made man coming from the East End and working his way to Eton Square. He takes some shortcuts but does it with enough charm that you can forgive his missteps. It is clear he means well and wants the best for most of the people in his surrounding. On the other side, there is Ms. Trentham who has all the tricks in the book to make his life miserable. It was soo nerve-wracking for me as a reader I got upset by things she did. As the book is told from multiple points of view you get all sides and know things as a reader the other characters are not aware of which adds to that feeling of things going wrong.
I always like that the female characters in Archer's books are strong. They are able to support themselves and take care of stuff.
hitmansam's review against another edition
5.0
Extremely engaging book, found it really hard to put down.
rioyoung's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
agneshenriksson's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kvegan's review
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
This is good story telling at its best. Great, likeable characters who get into various scrapes and adventures as they build a retail empire from east end roots. The Trentham baddies are particularly fun and unlike most modern novels, it’s easy to tell one character from another when they speak.
Modern novelists could learn a great deal from Archer. You can tell he just loves telling this story and that enthusiasm and energy gives the reader a great ride.
Modern novelists could learn a great deal from Archer. You can tell he just loves telling this story and that enthusiasm and energy gives the reader a great ride.
cmbohn's review
5.0
I love Jeffrey Archer because he is a master storyteller. His characters are believable and human. This is one of his best. He can take characters from completely different backgrounds and make you really interested in them. I also love the way he weaves the subplots together into a beautiful tapestry. Charlie Trumper is one of his most colorful and rich characters. This is a great one. It is really long, but once you get into the story, you won't want to put it down.
emmal_'s review
3.0
Great read. The plot and characters were intriguing and I enjoyed growing up with the characters.
nataliejordin_writes's review
3.0
It was an okay read. A lot compiled into one book, but the story of the main character is a powerful one.