kdaven8's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like I have read this story before, perhaps in formats I have liked better. Read the whole book...
jazcoal's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
i really wanted more of the typists group drama and spy stuff rather than soviet history and the cold war. a lot of the east chapters felt out of place and not as fleshed out as the west.
l_potter's review against another edition
1.0
This book had one dimensional characters and was very disappointing. The historical fiction element was interred it for but the author didn’t seem to know how to weave it into the story and it felt a bit like a story a 5th grader would write about a female spy and the CIA. Wouldn’t recommend .
mdeck24's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
abrswf's review against another edition
5.0
In a fluid, vivid style, Prescott brings the sexist, homophobic, and Cold War oriented world of the 1950s to life. Her story, which is solidly rooted in history, revolves around fictional characters working at the CIA -- with a particular focus on the women denigrated to positions like the typists' pool -- and the back story of the writing and publication of Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak's masterpiece. I loved this book, which I read for a book club, and found it hard to put down. I appreciated Prescott's sharp observation and juxtaposition of the punitive restrictiveness and floating dread created by Soviet ideology and American homophobia. (I did wonder, however, why she said nothing about the equally oppressive racism of the period.) One little echo of real history I especially savored was the mention in the introduction of Virginia Hall, the remarkable American spy and resistance fighter who is the focus of the wonderful nonfiction book published in sping 2019, A Woman of No Importance.
vick11's review against another edition
4.0
Terrific book! I cared about the characters and had a hard time putting it down. I loved The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff and this book touched on similar times and issues. I really enjoyed more of “the company” perspective of this book’s perspective.
risabella's review against another edition
3.0
A slow burn that left me lacking a bit the last half. Interesting characters and a mystery of how it all pieces together but ultimately, it wasn't enough to leave a lasting impression.