spaceforcewife21's review against another edition
DNF- I may try and come back to this book at another time when things are not so hectic. I just couldn't focus on the book and found that I had no idea what was going on 10% of the way in because I couldn't keep any of the characters straight.
mhoffrob's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting historical spy fiction set after the end of the Second World War in a divided Germany. An unsuspecting, single school teach, bored with her British life, applies to work with the Civil Service to establish schools in occupied Germany. Soon she is pulled in multiple directions by distant relations and close friends seeking informaitno and hoping she'll help track down hidden "bad apples" hiding in Germany - including a former love who became a prominent Nazi doctor. Many twists and quite a surprise ending kept me turning the pages! HIghly recommend. Will appeal to fans of Beatriz Williams and similar authors.
ellie31773's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
carlajo713's review against another edition
4.0
This is not the first novel I've read about spy and intrigue. This is not the first novel I've read that involves spies in WWII. However, this is the first novel I've read that documents the spy trade immediately following WWII. I guess the timeframe isn't one that you would normally think of still requiring spies and the exchange of secrets. It isn't as though everyone immediately recovered and changed their pre-war attitudes towards certain individuals, heritages, or ethnicities. I enjoyed reading it and despite being a work of fiction based on the author's aunts experiences, it opened my eyes to a very delicate time in our history. The Cold War encompassed so much. Countries changing sides, fighting for invisible boundaries, seeking to impart their own desires on the war torn European countries. The premise of hiding codes and secrets within the recipes was brilliant. I gave the book 4 stars because I felt it was missing just a little something. A sprinkle of salt, a pinch of sugar... Not sure what the missing element was honestly. It just felt incomplete.
bethmcclees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
rachelmabarca's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ange99's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Very well written, kept me guessing about the intentions and allegiances of all the main characters right through to the ending. Fascinating setting in Germany in the immediate aftermath of WW2, as suspicions continue between agencies from various countries. The recipes at the start of each chapter were a nice touch and set the scene well, particularly highlighting the disparity between the opulence of the foreign organisations and the deprivation of the local population.
Things I didn't like: I found the vast number of characters hard to distinguish and keep track of, and there were some storylines that I thought were central that turned out to be short-lived, leading to confusiom about the main story thread. Occasional sex scenes were for the most part unnecessary to the story or the characters. I also would have liked the cookery code to have been better explained.
Things I didn't like: I found the vast number of characters hard to distinguish and keep track of, and there were some storylines that I thought were central that turned out to be short-lived, leading to confusiom about the main story thread. Occasional sex scenes were for the most part unnecessary to the story or the characters. I also would have liked the cookery code to have been better explained.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Antisemitism, Death, Violence, and War
Minor: Sexual content
suetrav's review against another edition
3.0
WW II era books are usually my favourites when it comes to historical fiction. This one was okay but I felt it missed the mark.
I finished it and then went back and read the first part of the book again. That part was definitely clever and I enjoyed that ending. The rest of the book was scattered for me. Too many agents working for too many agencies and all double crossing each other. Just like the main character I was fooled by the people she trusted. Although I did not expect a happy ending for the main character I was not happy with how she died or why.
I finished it and then went back and read the first part of the book again. That part was definitely clever and I enjoyed that ending. The rest of the book was scattered for me. Too many agents working for too many agencies and all double crossing each other. Just like the main character I was fooled by the people she trusted. Although I did not expect a happy ending for the main character I was not happy with how she died or why.