jewelkr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I try to even the lifetime score I have of reading books written by white men by avoiding reading books written by white men, but I picked this one up in a local Mystery Store and was interested because it is set in Jerusalem in 1947.
Like other readers, I found it a little slow to start which is weird because it is a short book that moves through a lot of events that occur within about a week. I was annoyed early on by Brand/Jossi’s typical dichotomy between the “whores” who serviced the sailors and his girlfriend, who services politicians in aid of the rebellion even as he waits in his taxi to drive her home from her sex work. As I’ve said before, entering the mind of a man in love is disturbing. I don't know if this was intended by the author as a measure of the main character's inner conflicts, or if it's because that's how men see women. It didn't stop me from reading on.
The author’s writing is very good; I found little else to editorialize about. I did worry that a non-Jewish person was portraying a Jewish character, and one that survived the holocaust, a very difficult headspace to imagine, much less put down on paper. But he does a good job of it. Enough detail to provide context, just enough violence and gore to help the reader understand Brand/Jossi’s inner conflicts. I concluded that the author is an ally and has spent a lot of time with Jewish people. He also documents in his acknowledgement the amount of research that went into the plot.
The book does not get into the politics of the then but does raise questions about the politics of the now which I won’t get into because I am not Jewish, Israeli or Palestinian. It provides an awful look into the behavior of the British who had not yet started relinquishing the colonies – violating Holocaust survivors two years after their rescue from the Nazis and denying those same refugees entry while at the same time abusing the Palestinians – oh what a party. There are further glimpses into Brand’s past which are poignant but not sentimental, as he lives with his own guilt and the ghosts of the people who did not survive. I wish O’Nan wrote something besides suspense as he has quite a gift for conveying the suffering of the human condition in very few words.
laurensalisbury's review against another edition
1.0
I think I'm going to have to accept that O'Nan isn't for me. This attempt at a political historical thriller was too boring to make it through. I found myself skimming, waiting for Brand to get his crap together so I could give a damn about him. I gave up this quest about 80 pages in.
beyond3va's review against another edition
4.0
When I first started the book I had no clue what it was about and the real life historical background. Really enjoyed the writing and the history lesson! Great read, short but engaging!
zzzrevel's review against another edition
4.0
I am always interested in World War II books (fiction and non-) so this book was fascinating, albeit it is Post-WWII. The novel tells a story that has some based-on-true events depicted which I had not previously known about the Jewish-led rebels inside Palestine. Very interesting reading and intriguing plot, and somewhat of a love story to boot.
mslaura's review against another edition
4.0
Ratings (1 to 5)
Writing: 4.5
Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Emotional impact: 3.5
Overall rating: 4
Writing: 4.5
Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Emotional impact: 3.5
Overall rating: 4
middle_name_joy's review against another edition
2.0
After the fabulous [b:Last Night at the Lobster|673915|Last Night at the Lobster|Stewart O'Nan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442939054s/673915.jpg|2248501], I was eager for another Stewart O'Nan novel. I chose City of Secrets for the post-WWII Jerusalem setting and the element of Jewish spies. Sounded like a book written especially for me. Alas, CoS fell short of my expectations, retaining O'Nan's sparse, emotions-driven narrative style, but leaving too much context unspoken.
While I know a fair amount on the Zionist movement following WWII, I was not as up to speed on the rebel groups who fought for the Holy Land and raised hell against the British in that time period. Unfortunately, CoS did little to explain the why of action sequences and turncoat suspense. I was often confused, not to what was happening, but what it meant in the bigger picture.
All in all, this was an atmospheric historical fiction novel that could have had a stronger impact if more of the backstory had been fleshed out.
While I know a fair amount on the Zionist movement following WWII, I was not as up to speed on the rebel groups who fought for the Holy Land and raised hell against the British in that time period. Unfortunately, CoS did little to explain the why of action sequences and turncoat suspense. I was often confused, not to what was happening, but what it meant in the bigger picture.
All in all, this was an atmospheric historical fiction novel that could have had a stronger impact if more of the backstory had been fleshed out.
gchiararo's review against another edition
3.0
Not always an easy read, but the sensation is of a truthful rendering of a difficult time for souls with a past.
abookishtype's review against another edition
3.0
Questioning the effectiveness of and motivations for terrorism usually isn’t hard. Our media and politicians and most people on the street would condemn acts of terror as soon as word broke. But what if we can sympathize with the terrorists? In City of Secrets, Stewart O’Nan asks us to consider the point of view of terrorists. In this case, the terrorists are members of the Haganah, the Irgun, and the Stern Gang—groups that repeatedly attacked British soldiers and Palestinian civilians in their fight to create a Jewish homeland. City of Secrets is narrated by Brand, a Latvian Holocaust survivor loosely affiliated with the Haganah, in the months before the King David Hotel bombing...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.