Reviews

An enthralling, dark story of Eastern Europe in the 1990s ~ perfect for fans of travel writing and literary suspense stories.

Thanks to Algonquin for the review copy of this title - all opinions are my own.

I have been fascinated by Budapest after randomly watching an episode of House Hunters International, and have lately been reading more and more about Communism and its impact throughout the world. Those factors definitely lead into my deep appreciation of this story ~ a story equally about a historically significant city as it about family tragedies. The descriptions of the city, language and food were absolutely riveting and I inhaled this book in less than 24 hours. In addition, knowing that this book is largely based on the author's own experiences living in Budapest made it even more fascinating - I loved her essay in the Algonquin Reader about her motivation for this book.

If you want to experience a Eastern European country in a time not-long past, and want detailed history and literary social commentary, this one is a must-read. For suspense fans, this is a slow burn and should be entered into with more of an expectation of a tense, dark drama rather than a fast-paced mystery. Highly recommend to geeky readers like myself!

the_cassie_case's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

jessiebwriting's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I really don't know what to think with this read. I felt like I learned a lot about Budapest and Hungary but I don't think I can quite identify the main point of the story. Edward seemed to have a pretty clear goal but Annie's was hard to see clearly. The story was intriguing enough to keep going but I felt pretty neutral by the end.

kanderson246's review

Go to review page

3.0

Strangers in Budapest by Jessica Keener

I had purchased this book at a book fair and was drawn in by the cover (and the fact that I have visited Budapest myself). I enjoyed the description of life in Budapest for an expat at that time, but the book lacked the suspense of a thriller. It was a slow build up to the last few chapters which were suspenseful and gripping and ultimately made up for the otherwise boring monologue of the main characters.

Set in 1995 after the Communist control of Hungary, young Bostonian couple Will and Annie move to Budapest with their infant son. Annie hopes for a fresh start and Will for economic success. Eight months after their move, they are introduced to Edward Weiss. He is a sick Jewish WWII veteran who has come to Budapest searching for the man he believes killed his daughter. Drawn to his need for help, Annie assists in his revenge plot that can only end in tragedy.

raychul2992's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

valigator's review

Go to review page

2.0

Budapest was the first city in Europe I visited and I so wanted to like this book. Parts of it were ok but the main character was so frustrating to me and I felt like the whole interaction with the two conflicting characters was so weird and convoluted, and at the end, unresolved.

micmcc_1's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

More...